First Discovery Of 'Animals-only' Pigment Bilirubin In Plants, Florida International University Study
ScienceDaily (Mar. 23, 2009) — In a first-of-its-kind discovery that overturns conventional wisdom, scientists in Florida are reporting that certain plants — including the exotic "White Bird of Paradise Tree" — make bilirubin. Until now, scientists thought that pigment existed only in animals. The finding may change scientific understanding of how the ability to make bilirubin evolved, researchers say.