Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 4 of 4
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Closely Paired Flowers Produce Single Fruit, W. John Hayden
Closely Paired Flowers Produce Single Fruit, W. John Hayden
Biology Faculty Publications
Perhaps one of the most striking features of partridge berry (Mitchella repens), the 2012 VNPS Wildflower of the Year, is its closely paired flowers that yield a single berry fruit (figure 1). That these fruits are double structures, formed by pairs of flowers, is revealed in the presence of two discrete rings of five sepals each on the fruit apex, or in some cases, by a single ring of 10 sepals. Viewed in isolation, without context, the nature of these double fruits may seem perplexing, but as in so many things, a comparative perspective helps to make sense …
Partridge Berry: Simple Beauty Belies Complexity, W. John Hayden
Partridge Berry: Simple Beauty Belies Complexity, W. John Hayden
Biology Faculty Publications
Superficially, plants seem so simple. Rooted in place, they do not move around. And while plant growth is a dynamic process, without time-lapse photography, growth events are so imperceptibly slow that, to us impatient humans, plants seem both immobile and static. Nevertheless, there is a lot going on inside the plant body, and this is especially true for the events of reproduction that play out inside flowers and fruits. As one of my students recently commented, “I used to think it was just a matter of pollen plus stigma and, presto-change-o, seeds happen.” That student, I hope, learned otherwise, as …
2012 Wildflower Of The Year: Partridge Berry, Mitchella Repens, W. John Hayden
2012 Wildflower Of The Year: Partridge Berry, Mitchella Repens, W. John Hayden
Biology Faculty Publications
Although partridge berry is a small and creeping herb, its jewel-like beauty rewards attentive naturalists year-round.
Light Management Important Factor For Partridge Berry, W. John Hayden
Light Management Important Factor For Partridge Berry, W. John Hayden
Biology Faculty Publications
Factors essential for plant life include adequate levels of light, moisture, mineral nutrients, and temperature; though the list is small, each is crucial for survival. This article is a contemplation of how one of these critical factors, light, impacts the biology of our 2012 Wildflower of the Year, Mitchella repens, partridge berry. Aside from issues of reproductive biology, ecological literature on partridge berry is meager. Consequently most of what follows is derived from general works on woodland ecology, perusal of which provides sufficient insight about the biology of Mitchella to inspire ideas worthy of further study.