In the weird world of chlorophyll-free “fairy lantern” plants, there’s a new species to admire. Fairy lanterns (Thismia) are a type of mysterious, parasitic herb that look like something from…
Category: Plants
The largest known genome belongs to a tiny fern
Big things can sometimes come in small packages. A small fern has broken the record for the largest genome yet known, researchers report May 31 in iScience. The plant’s full…
Plant ‘time bombs’ highlight how sneaky invasive species can be
A stealthy, destructive weed — the sycamore maple — began its “don’t worry, just love me” phase of invading Great Britain so long ago that the tree didn’t have what…
On hot summer days, this thistle is somehow cool to the touch
In the mountains of southern Spain, one type of thistle plant seems to have built-in air conditioning. The flowers of the thistle Carlina corymbosa are, on average, about 3 degrees…
Ancient trees’ gnarled, twisted shapes provide irreplaceable habitats
Earth’s oldest, knotted and scarred pine trees are a boon for forest life. These old mountain pines (Pinus uncinata) offer food and shelter for lichens and insects not just because…
Here’s why blueberries are blue
The secret to a blueberry’s hue is in the structure of its wax coat. Waxy coverings on blue-colored fruits such as blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), grapes (Vitis vinifera) and some plums…
This weird fern is the first known plant that turns its dead leaves into new roots
To get by in the waterlogged, low-nutrient soil of the Quebrada Chorro forest in western Panama, a species of tree fern repurposes its dead fronds, turning them into roots. The…
A rare 3-D tree fossil may be the earliest glimpse at a forest understory
With its fluffed, spiraling top and thin trunk, the Sanfordiacaulis densifolia tree looks like it came straight out of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax. But this isn’t a truffula come to…
This first-of-its kind palm plant flowers and fruits entirely underground
Palm trees are often associated with Hollywood Boulevard and tropical resorts, but their relatives in the palm family Arecaceae can come in many different shapes and sizes. And one shuns…
‘Most Delicious Poison’ explores how toxins rule our world
Aaron Tremper is the editorial assistant for Science News Explores. He has a B.A. in English (with minors in creative writing and film production) from SUNY New Paltz and an…
