Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Science

Factors that affect the spininess of plants in different locations

Plants often grow spines, thorns and prickles to defend against animals that feed on them, but why this happens in some places more than others has remained a mystery. Research in New Phytologist shows that plant spininess is shaped by browsing mammals, both past and present, together with environme...

Factors that affect the spininess of plants in different locations
Image: Phys.org
Plants often grow spines, thorns and prickles to defend against animals that feed on them, but why this happens in some places more than others has remained a mystery. Research in New Phytologist shows that plant spininess is shaped by browsing mammals, both past and present, together with environmental conditions.

Originally published at Phys.org

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