Blossoms: And the Genes That Make Them

by Maxine Singer

How do plants, even if still buried underground, know that it's their time to bloom? What signals them to begin the challenging task of making flowers, and how do they make the variety of flower shapes, colors, and scents? What kind of instructions does the plant carry?

Flowers enrich the beauty of meadows and gardens, but of course, they are not there simply to please us. Biologically, blossoms form a critical aspect of the reproductive cycle of many plants. In this book, the distinguished scientist Maxine Singer explains what we have pieced together about the genetics behind flowering. She describes in a clear and accessible account the key genes which, regulated by other genes, modulated by epigenetic effects, and responding to environmental cues, cause plants to flower at a particular time, and define the variety of flowers. The remarkably intricate processes involved in making flowers have evolved in nature alongside the pollinating birds and insects that the flowers must attract if there is to be another generation. The processes involved in flowering have only been unraveled in the past twenty years, and the implications for ensuring production of food, including fruits and seeds, are profound. This is cutting-edge science, and we have much still to learn, but the story being revealed that lies behind the flowers in our gardens, parks, and fields is proving astonishing.

Genres: Biology, Nature, Science, Nonfiction

176 pages, Hardcover

Published June 5, 2018

About the author

Maxine Frank Singer was an American molecular biologist and science administrator. She was known for her contributions to solving the genetic code, her role in the ethical and regulatory debates on recombinant DNA techniques (including the organization of the Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA), and her leadership of Carnegie Institution of Washington.
In 2002, Discover magazine recognized her as one of the 50 most important women in science.

Reviews

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is indeed a special book that works for everyone. I first thought it would be another nerdy book about science and biology, but it turns out to be a very detailed and vivid topic of plants from a genetic point of view. You'll know the basic rules of the mechanics of DNA, RNA and associated compounds, and how they work together to make a plant's life.
I like at the end what the author summarizes the world of plants means to humans:" The amazing variety of the floral world is the consequence of evolutionary changes that promote the effective reproduction of the flowering plants. We humans are the accidental beneficiaries." This made me humble.

[Mike He · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book for anyone who is interested in finding out what really causes flowering plants to blossom and then bloom with their attractive colors, diverse petal shapes and pleasant smells. In Blossoms: And the Genes That Make Them, Dr. Singer tries her best to explain, in layman's terms, these phenomena in great details from molecular biological and genetic points of views, though perhaps a little bit technical to some readers.

[Leo W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maxine Singer is an eminent molecular biologist; a leading figure in her generation. She is not a botanist, but has written a crystal introductions summarizing current understanding of the genetics of floral initiation, development and floral characteristics. I guess she like flowers and we are happily the beneficiaries.

[Brad Dunn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm certainly the wrong audience for this book, so I found it less interesting than I hoped.

It's quite a technical book, lots about how genes work and the mechanics of the science, which, I know, is in the title (So why are you hating it so much Brad!)

There are some interesting insights in it though, but just not for me.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads giveaway

[Juju · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool look into flowers

[Jood · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some books which just have a really lovely feel to them – I mean physically, when you hold them – and this slim book has just that. The dust jacket is also pleasingly pretty.

The subject matter might seem a little dry to some people but it's written in a light, interesting and informative way, instead of heavily scientific. It's not without humour either. There are five chapters starting with What Plants Are, onto How Genes Work followed by three chapters on different aspects of flowering.

I think most of us tend to take flowers for granted, but don't stop to think about what's going on; I found this book a real eye opener and will never look at them in the same way again.

Fascinating.

Complimentary copy from Amazon