Jewelweed Runs Amok in England

Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), native here, invasive abroad.

Our ubiquitous jewelweed is an unwelcome visitor in England. Eric von Wettberg is studying the species genetic bottleneck in its adopted digs. Since a small number of individuals made the initial invasion, he is looking at how the plant has evolved its shade avoidance response (by which plants fit their growth patterns and phenology to maximize their success under a range of light conditions) to fit its new environs.

More on his work