Abstract
Plant Science![Figure][1] Microscopic ridges enhance California poppy color through prismatic effects. PHOTO: TIM FITZHARRIS/MINDEN PICTURES/GETTY IMAGES The California poppy is a drought-tolerant plant with brilliant yellow to orange flowers. Wilts et al. looked more closely to reveal the optics behind these intense colors. The surface of the flower's petals is covered with a tidy array of microscopic ridges that act like prisms. The ridges develop with successive deposits of cell wall and are aligned by rows of cells. When the ridge has been built and the cell has reached optimal size, light captured by the prism-like ridge is focused by microlensing onto carotenoid pigment granules at the bottom of the cell, revealing the mature flower's color. Light from certain angles is reflected back off the edges of the prisms, contributing to the silky appearance of this flexible petal. A little bit of pigment goes a long way when light delivery is optimized. New Phytol. 219 , 1124 (2018). [1]: pending:yes
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