Planta - Welcome to the Planta Cover Gallery

Volume 257, issue 1, January 2023

The decorative Chrysanthemum flowers differ in the colour of their florets due to the flavone level that is low in the cultivar Yukai (left) and high in 14_C_1 (right). The predominant flavones are apigenin and its derivatives as shown by metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis. 

Cover image is from Luo et al., CmHY5 functions in apigenin biosynthesis by regulating flavone synthase II expression in chrysanthemum flowers (this opens in a new tab)

© Photographs taken by Chang Luo,
Beijing Key Laboratory of Development and Quality Control of Ornamental Crops, Department of Ornamental Horticulture, College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China

Volume 256, issue 1, July 2022

The cytokinin BAP, which promotes cell division, can inhibit cytokinesis in dividing Physcomitrium caulonema tip cells. The mitotic spindle (labelled green by GFP-tubulin) and the phragmoplast (labelled magenta by FM4-64) are formed under 1 μM BAP application, but the structure of the phragmoplast and the assembly of the cell plate are disturbed. Scale bar = 10 μm.

Cover image is from Ruan and Yi, Exogenous 6-benzylaminopurine inhibits tip growth and cytokinesis via regulating actin dynamics in the moss Physcomitrium patens (this opens in a new tab)

© Photographs taken by P. Yi,
Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu,Sichuan 610065, P.R. China

Volume 255, issue 1, January 2022

Rafflesia species (Rafflesiaceae) are holoparasites with the world’s largest flowers (up to 1 m in diameter), but are threatened with extinction. The plants are fully dependent on the host, Tetrastigma. Rafflesia lagascae Blanco is a smaller species endemic to the forests of Philippines growing up to 20 cm in diameter.

Cover image is from Molina et al., Living with a giant, flowering parasite: metabolic differences between Tetrastigma loheri Gagnep. (Vitaceae) shoots uninfected and infected with Rafflesia (Rafflesiaceae) and potential applications for propagation (this opens in a new tab)

© Photograph taken by J. Molina,
Department of Biology, Long Island University-Brooklyn, NY, USA. Photo taken at Mt Guinatungan, Camarines Norte, Philippines

Volume 254, issue 1, July 2021

Dracaena draco (dragon tree), native to the Macaronesian islands in the Atlantic Ocean, is an evergreen tree-like monocot with a domed head of branches. It produces a valuable resin known as “dragon’s blood”. The species attaines a high age and has a unique secondary growth in stem and roots

Cover image is from Jura-Morawiec et al., Revisiting the anatomy of the monocot cambium, a novel meristem (this opens in a new tab)

© Photograph taken in Gran Canaria, Spain, by J. Jura-Morawiec,
Polish Academy of Sciences, Botanical Garden, Centre for Biological Diversity Conservation in Powsin, Prawdziwka 2, 02-973, Warsaw, Poland

Volume 253, issue 1, January 2021

The molecular mechanisms of the carotenoid pathways were analyzed in yellow- and white-flowering cultivars of the oilseed crop Brassica napus L.

Cover image is from Ledong Jia et al., Comparative transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of carotenoid biosynthesis reveal the basis of white petal color in Brassica napus (this opens in a new tab)

© Photographs taken by Ledong Jia, 
College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Chongqing Rapeseed Engineering Research Center, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, China

Volume 252, issue 1, July 2020

Silene latifolia Poir (white campion) is a dioecious plant in the Caryophyllaceae family and grows in open, sunny fields and rural areas. The showy flowers with five white, deeply notched petals open in late afternoon and emit a sweet scent to attract pollinators. For details on the synthesis of the volatile by converting salicylic acid via catechol into veratrole,

Cover image is from Van Gelder et al., Evidence from stable-isotope labeling that catechol is an intermediate in salicylic acid catabolism in the flowers of Silene latifolia (white campion) (this opens in a new tab)

© Photograph taken by Dr. Tariq A. Akhtar, University of Guelph, Canada