A newly discovered structure where mouth-puckering compounds called tannins form inside plant cells. Plants from oak trees to corn make tannins, which discourage nibbling insects and reduce damage from UV light. Tannosomes are tiny organelles that arise in chloroplasts, structures that capture light energy. There, sacs of green pigment break into little spheres.
Log in
Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.