• California’s native jewelflowers, a group of plants that belong to the mustard family, grow in widely diverse landscapes and microclimates across the state. But until now, scientists didn’t understand what allowed their wide distribution.
• To understand this, researchers analyzed information from nearly 2,000 specimens; dug into climate and geological databases; and amassed field observations to understand the climatic conditions that 14 species of jewelflowers need to grow and reproduce.
• Their study found that, despite living in different landscapes, from desert to valleys and mountains, jewelflowers prefer hotter and drier climates, timing their sprouting and flowering accordingly. Even those species growing in colder regions adjust their life cycle to flower later in the summer and seek drought-prone soils.
• The research shows how plants distributed across vast geographies may require specific microclimates and habitats to survive, which are potentially at risk in a warming world.

archived (Wayback Machine)

This is a funnier episode, minus the stray bullet.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/24579268

Southern Finland. I've found these and some more bluish ones. They are fairly small (the flower itself is about 4-6cm) and have these long, pretty thick leaves. It isn't visible in the photos, but the petals have this glittery look on them. Here's one of the blue ones, in a vase: I've mostly seen them near yards or gardens, so I think they aren't native.

https://www.rutgers.edu/news/how-plants-harness-microbes-get-nutrients

Plant vision?

Have some random images from the Meise (little town next to Brussels in Belgium) botanical gardens. They are specialised in endemic plants but also bananas, coffee and succulents. I also included pictures of the seedbank (the short term, max. 10 years part).