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- Title
Botany: Floral fluorescence effect.
- Authors
Gand&ía-Herrero, Fernando; Garc&ía-Carmona, Francisco; Escribano, Josefa
- Abstract
The way flowers appear to insects is crucial for pollination. Here we describe an internal light-filtering effect in the flowers of Mirabilis jalapa, in which the visible fluorescence emitted by one pigment, a yellow betaxanthin, is absorbed by another, a violet betacyanin, to create a contrasting fluorescent pattern on the flower's petals. This finding opens up new possibilities for pollinator perception as fluorescence has not previously been considered as a potential signal in flowers.
- Subjects
FLOWERS; MIRABILIS; NYCTAGINACEAE; INFLORESCENCES; FLORAL products; PLANTS
- Publication
Nature, 2005, Vol 437, Issue 7057, p334
- ISSN
0028-0836
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/437334a