Cosmos

Thorns – technically termed prickles – are a common feature on many drastically different plants.

So how have they evolved? The answer to this question is part of an evolutionary puzzle that has been perplexing biologists for decades.

Now, thanks to a new study published in Science, researchers are one step closer to solving the mystery.

The international team of scientists behind the study has found that the same group of genes is responsible for thorns in very different varieties of plants.

From roses to rice, plant prickles are used for a number of things, including defence, water retention, and climbing.

Despite their physical similarities, these thorns are known to have evolved independently at least 28 times – they haven’t all come from a common, prickly, ancestor. This is called convergent evolution.

Some plant species have also evolved to lose their prickles, which has made them handy in agriculture.

Rread on: https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/plants/thorns-prickles-roses-plants/