The molecular mechanisms enabling plants to quickly adapt their rate of flower production in response to changing nutrient levels in soil have been revealed by researchers at the Sainsbury Laboratory.
In this video Dr Beverley Glover explains how a daisy is a collection of tiny flowers grouped together to make it look like a single big flower.
Some plants go to extraordinary lengths to attract pollinators. A unique collaboration between plant scientists and physicists is revealing the full extent of botanical advertising.
Fundamental research on plant development at the Sainsbury Laboratory will help in the future design of optimal crops.
Beetles use it, birds use it. Plants use it too. Iridescence is the shimmery colour effect that makes things eye-catching.
The amazing diversity of flowers is a biological mystery that has long intrigued scientists. Dr Beverley Glover explains how new understanding of petals and pollinators is helping to solve the puzzle.
When bees collect nectar, how do they hold onto the flower? Cambridge University scientists have shown that it is down to small cone-shaped cells on the petals that act like "velcro" on the bees' feet.
Bees see some flowers in multicolour because of previously unknown iridescence of the petals, usually invisible to the human eye, researchers from the University of Cambridge report this week in Science.
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