Early-diverging angiosperms are important for studies of the origin and early evolution of the flower. Vialette-Guiraud et al. discuss the potential of the water lily Cabomba (Nymphaeales) as a model basal angiosperm, as it combines simplicity of floral structure, numerous pleisiomorphic angiosperm characters, and practical features that make it amenable to study using a broad range [...]

Growth regulators and germination of recalcitrant seeds There is relatively little information avialable regarding the role of plant growth regulators in the germination of recalcitrant seeds. Pieruzzi et al. determine an increase in the ratio of the polyamines (spermidine + spermine) : putrescine in the embryos of germinating Araucaria angustifolia (gymnosperm) and Ocotea odorifera (angiosperm), which could be [...]