STRUCTURAL COLORATION IN PLANTS

I began to look at iridescent blue coloration in plants in Malaysia in the mid-1970’s and have continued that work sporadically and with different collaborators since then.  Presently, I am working with Dr. Maryanne Large of the Dublin Institute of Technology, a physicist on aspects of leaf coloration.  I am also finding new candidates for structural fruit coloration, Particularly in northern Australia through the assistance of Tony Irvine.  With George Taylor, we have worked out the structural basis for blue fruit coloration in Delarbrea michieana (Araliaceae).  Tony thinks there other good candidates, which we will examine in the near future.  I am also examining the probable structural basis for the brilliant blue coloration of arils in the traveler’s palm (Ravenala madagascarensis).  This may be due to a novel mechanism for plants: Tyndall scattering.

 

Iridescent blue fronds of an epiphytic fern, Elaphoglossum herminierii, from the neotropics,
photographed in French Guyana.  Fronds are about 2 cm in diameter.

 

Iridescent Malaysian rainforest understory plants: Phyllagathis rotundifolia
(Melastomataceae) in entire field, and Diplazium crenatoserratum (fern).

 

Fruits of Delarbrea michieana (Araliaceae), about 1.5 cm long. 

 

Fruit epidermis of D. michieana, showing iridescent layer beneath cell wall and above main cytoplasm.