Lots of fascinating aspects of plant colors here. I wrote a post for it too!
When your life depends on light, as it does for plants and other photosynthetic organisms, color is important. Even the most flamboyant displays are functional not frivolous. Beyond being a consequence of the biophysics of photosynthesis, these exhibitions are used to attract pollinators, to send warnings to would-be herbivores, and to adapt to their surroundings. Of course, humans find these colors fascinating for reasons unrelated to their purposes for the plants. As a result, these beautiful botanicals have become entwined with human culture as well- in our gardens, in our kitchens, and in our artistic expressions. This edition (#69) of the Berry Go Round blog carnival explores the diverse topic of plants’ use of color.
Before we delve into the details of how plants use their colors or the extreme colors plants employ, start with this post from the As many exceptions as rules blog, which describes the extensive biochemical…
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Postdoc Street 