The Colorful Life of Flowers

That’s where Yaowu Yuan comes in. He’s a biologist at the University of Connecticut. Yuan looks at the flowers’ genes, material that’s passed down from generation to generation. Genes determine traits such as hair color and eye color in humans. In monkeyflowers, genes determine petal colors and patterns.

Yuan uses laboratory techniques to turn off specific genes in a developing plant. Then he records how each change affects the plant’s appearance as it grows. 

“We are trying to figure out how to change a single gene so that the petal pattern changes,” says Yuan. For example, “we’re studying how to change a spot to a stripe.” 

Yaowu Yuan is a biologist at the University of Connecticut. Yuan looks at the genes of monkeyflowers. Genes are material that is passed down from generation to generation. Genes determine traits such as hair color and eye color in humans. Genes determine petal colors and patterns in monkeyflowers.

Yuan uses laboratory techniques to turn off specific genes in a developing plant. Then he records how each change affects the way the plant looks as it grows.

“We are trying to figure out how to change a single gene so that the petal pattern changes,” says Yuan. For example, “we’re studying how to change a spot to a stripe.”

Yuan hopes his research helps scientists better understand the relationship between genes and physical traits in a wide range of plants and animals. 

“Understanding the beauty in nature is incredibly satisfying,” says Yuan. “And nature is, of course, full of math.”

Yuan hopes his research will help scientists understand more about how genes and physical traits are related to each other. He hopes his research will be useful in studying a wide range of plants and animals.

“Understanding the beauty in nature is incredibly satisfying,” says Yuan. “And nature is, of course, full of math.”

A. This monkeyflower has 1 line of symmetry. Draw a line on the flower to show its symmetry.

B. What type of line did you draw above? 

A. This monkeyflower has 1 line of symmetry. Draw a line on the flower to show its symmetry.

B. What type of line did you draw above? 

Draw the line(s) of symmetry on this flower. How many does it have?

Draw the line(s) of symmetry on this flower. How many does it have?

Circle the flower that has 1 line of symmetry.

Circle the flower that has 1 line of symmetry.

Circle the part of this flower that would have to change for it to have a line of symmetry.

Circle the part of this flower that would have to change for it to have a line of symmetry.

Draw a flower that has at least 1 line of symmetry. Use dotted or dashed lines to mark the line(s) of symmetry.

Draw a flower that has at least 1 line of symmetry. Use dotted or dashed lines to mark the line(s) of symmetry.