In nature, the quest to survive and spread is essential — and that’s certainly true for flowers. We might see them as vibrant harbingers of spring or precursors to juicy tomatoes, but from the ...

It’s almost impossible to imagine a world without chocolate. Yet cacao trees, which are the source of chocolate, are vulnerable. I am a passionate chocolate lover and an entomologist who studies cacao ...

The overall rate of self-fertilization can be viewed as the sum of two distinct processes: 1) self-pollination of all ovules in a flower (whole-flower self-pollination); and 2) self-pollination of ...

The structure and anatomy of mature flowers of four species of Meliosma is investigated using scanning electron and light microscopy. The vasculature of the flower, including the structure of the ...

Using a mobile stamen to slap away insect visitors maximizes pollination and minimizes costs to flowers, a study shows. For centuries scientists have observed that when a visiting insect's tongue ...

In some deserts of the world, a series of heavy rains can trigger many species of plant to flower at the same time. Beneath Death Valley lies a massive seed bank of desert wildflowers and when heavy ...

After grooming, bees still have pollen on body parts that match the position of flower pollen-sacs and stigmas, according to a new study. After grooming, bees still have pollen on body parts that ...

This video segment adapted from NOVA explains how flowers play a central role in the reproductive cycle of plants. Their striking array of colors, patterns, fragrances, and nectar all require lots of ...