Evolution of Flowering Plants

[Racoon]

I watched a terrific show on the evolution of flowering plants.

Its the most important evolution, due to the fact humans would not be around if flowering plants did not evolve/exist.

Here are the references to the show:

NOVA | First Flower | Flowers Modern and Ancient | PBS
simply launch the interactive.

The first seeds encased among female Carpels and engiosperm were around 125 million years ago! "archaefructus liaoningensis"
Amazing!


Any initial reaction?
More to come.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Racoon

I watched a terrific show on the evolution of flowering plants.

Its the most important evolution, due to the fact humans would not be around if flowering plants did not evolve/exist.

Here are the references to the show:

NOVA | First Flower | Flowers Modern and Ancient | PBS
simply launch the interactive.

The first seeds encased among female Carpels and engiosperm were around 125 million years ago! "archaefructus liaoningensis"
Amazing!

Any initial reaction?
More to come.

I saw this too! Loved it. I liked how they represented opposing scientist's views on what the evidence at hand means. Well balanced. Also I didn't know so many plants originated in one relatively small area in China. One visiting biologist was about to soil himself over such natural diversity in such a small area. Lillys come to mind, and 50 foot tall rhododendrons. Then we have the fossils...drool, drool. The program is well worth watching. Yay Public Broiadcasting!

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by Turtle

I saw this too! Loved it.

Ditto that! I was flipping channels and saw something pretty. It was a flower. I pushed the “Info” button on the remote and saw it was Nova… enough said. The program stayed on. I loved how they pushed away old ideas of plant relationships and groupings which were based on structure and appearance when new data came up regarding the genetic closeness of plants (like humans and chimps). I don’t remember the exact quote, but one of the scientists said something that struck me… It was on the order of:

“Plants are some of the most sex crazed lifeforms on the planet. Sex is the ONLY thing they engage in from seed to compost.”

Who needs slinky Jazz saxophone music, candles, champagne, strawberries, and high cocoa chocolate when you have a stamen and some nice pollen?


Some cheap flower pick-up lines:

“Quite a set of stems you've got there.”
"Impressive root system. How deep does it go?"
"Want to get together with a few bees later tonight?"
“Oh, you don’t look a day over 120 million.”

[maikeru]

Ditto ditto that! I love Nova, and this was a good episode. Remember, it's all about plant sex, baby.

I was thinking of the program again this morning when I read this article on LiveScience (sci articles are the best way to start the day!):

LiveScience.com - Flowers Evolve to Suit Birds and Bats

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by maikeru

Ditto ditto that! I love Nova, and this was a good episode. Remember, it's all about plant sex, baby.

I was thinking of the program again this morning when I read this article on LiveScience (sci articles are the best way to start the day!):

LiveScience.com - Flowers Evolve to Suit Birds and Bats

Tying your sex to start the day, and InfiniteNow's genetics point on the show's content, I slide smoothly into this article just out on the gentics of how flowers know when to bloom.

Originally Posted by newscientist

After a quest lasting more than 70 years, botanists may finally have found what one leading textbook describes as "the Holy Grail of plant biology" – the molecular command that tells a plant it is time to flower.

The discovery may help scientists tailor crops to different latitudes – an especially valuable ability as global warming begins to shift climate zones towards the poles. ...

Full article >>> Botanists discover the signal that triggers flowering - life - 20 April 2007 - New Scientist