Month: February 2025
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Moss and lichen: A deep dive into cryptogams
Elizabeth Lawson’s “Moss and Lichen” is a groundbreaking addition to Reaktion Books’ Botanical series, shifting focus from vascular to non-vascular plants and encompassing fungi. Integrating biology, ecology, and cultural relevance, the book explores the nature of mosses and lichens, their roles in ecosystems, and their significance to humanity.
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Gene-editing, taking the ouch out of touch
The post provides background on plant defenses against herbivores, focusing on prickles, thorns, and spines. It then looks in detail at work by Satterlee et al. who used CRISPR-Cas9 techniques to create prickle-free variants of aubergine and other Solanum species, potentially transforming agricultural practices and enhancing food safety during harvesting…
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Plants, biting the hand that weeds them…
By way of preamble the post discusses the multiple uses of plant fibres, especially in relation to paper in books and newspapers, and longevity of the printed word. The post then discusses research into what types of paper cause paper cuts, and how the results led to creation of the…
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The seed-spreading power of water
After providing some background on water’s unusual properties, this post considers some of the roles of water in plant biology. In particular, it looks at the work of Finn Box et al. on seed dispersal by the squirting cucumber.
Plant Cuttings 