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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Whole-mount Clearing and Staining of Arabidopsis Flower Organs and Siliques
Published on: April 12, 2018
[Natural history of flowers and gravity]
Masamichi Yamashita1, Kaori Tomita-Yokotani, Teruko Nakamura
1Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA, Sagamihara, Japan. yamashita@surc.isas.jaxa.jp
Abstract:
Many flowers have coevolved with their pollinator animals. Gravity has been one of selection pressure for the evolution of flowers. Gravity rules morphology and other features of flowers in many aspects. Pair matching between the flower and its specific pollinator is one of factors that determine the fitness of both sides. Evolution of flower morphology and its molecular basis are reviewed briefly. Anemophilous flowers are also under the influence of gravity. Shape and other features of entomophilous flowers have been highly diversed. Gravitropic response and its mechanism are summarized. Recent findings on gravitropism and phototropism of pistils and stamens are presented in this article.
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Work Done by Gravity
Like other forces, gravity does work on an object if it displaces it toward the Earth's center. In this case, the work done by gravity is said to be positive. If an external force acts on the object against the pull of gravity and manages to lift it away from the Earth's center, work is done against gravity. In this case, the net work done is said to be negative.
Gravitation

