This new study shows how the buttercup’s exceptionally bright appearance is a result of a special feature of the petal structure.
It has also been known for many years that the epidermal layer of the petals is composed of very flat cells, providing strong reflection. As the blue-green light is absorbed, the light in the other spectral regions (in this case, primarily yellow) is reflected. They have previously shown that the reflected colour is yellow due to the absorption of the colours in the blue-green region of the spectrum by the carotenoid pigment in the petals. Scientists have been interested in how the buttercup flower works for over a century. In particular, the strong yellow reflection responsible for the chin illumination is mainly due to the epidermal layer of the petal that reflects yellow light with an intensity that is comparable to glass. The researchers discovered that the buttercup petal’s unique bright and glossy appearance is the result of the interplay between its different layers.
Their findings were published today, 14 December, in the Royal Society journal Interface. Scientists have found that the distinctive glossiness of the buttercup flower ( Ranunculus repens), which children like to shine under the chin to test whether their friends like butter, is related to its unique anatomical structure.
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