The evolutionary mysteries of a rare parasitic plant
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate UniversityPeer-Reviewed Publication
At the base of mossy trees, deep in the mountains of Taiwan and mainland Japan or nestled in the subtropical forests of Okinawa, grows what most might mistake for a mushroom – but what is actually a very unique plant with some of the smallest flowers and seeds in the world. With no chlorophyll to photosynthesize with and no root system to supply it with water from the ground, Balanophora has evolved a series of extreme traits to survive entirely as a parasite on the roots of specific trees. Some species and populations produce seeds only without fertilization (obligate agamospermy) – which is exceedingly rare in the plant kingdom.
Researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Kobe University, and the University of Taipei have now joined forces to survey Balanophora across its sparse and inaccessible habitats, upending our understanding of photosynthesis loss in land plants, obligate agamospermy, and the role of the plastids.
- Journal
- New Phytologist
- Funder
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Human Frontier Science Program, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan Science and Technology Agency, National Science and Technology Council