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In 1879 Professor William J. Beal buried 20 bottles con taining seeds of 21 species in a long-term seed viability ex periment. Telewski and Zeevaart unearthed the 15th bottle in the spring of 2000 and tested for germination. They found that after 120 years a total of 26 seeds germinated representing two species of mullein (Verbascum blattaria and Verbascum sp.) and Malva rotundifolia, all producing normal plants. As one reviewer notes, "Dr. Beal's study continues to amaze." The American Journal of Botany has reported the results of this experiment since 1922. Five more bottles are still buried, ensuring at least 100 more years of research. (see p. 1285)

Capturing light in the understory

Valladares, Skillman, and Pearcy describe light capture efficiency in 24 plant species co-occurring in the dark under story of a lowland rain forest. They use path analysis to eval uate which architectural traits contribute most to the display efficiency of the plant and conclude that the variety of shoot morphologies capable of efficiently capturing light in tropical understories is greater than initially thought. Further, capture efficiencies are surprisingly similar. The light environment it self is the most important factor affecting the total light cap tured rather than the efficiency of foliage display. (see p.1275)

Adaptive vs. nonadaptive explanations

Sánchez-Lafuente raises interesting questions about the adaptive value of variation in floral morphology. He uses his data from the study of the generalist perennial herb Paeonia broteroi, which grows in different regions with different polli nators and herbivores, to distinguish between the respective roles of pollinators and herbivores in the evolution of floral traits. He raises the possibility of both adaptive and nonadap tive explanations for his data, reminding us that data do not always fit a classic theoretical framework. (see p. 1260)

Biogeography and Banksia

Mast and Givnish reconstruct the phylogeny of the Aus tralian genus Banksia (79 spp.) to address biogeographic pat terns related to the group's southwestern/eastern disjunction and hypotheses of leaf evolution generated from the group's extensive fossil record. Their study of one of the most re markable adaptive radiations in the angiosperms, set in Aus tralia's isolated Southwest Botanical Province, provides ma terial that will interest systematists, historical biogeographers, evolutionary ecologists, morphologists, and conservation bi ologists. (see p. 1311)

This Article Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content