article_snippet.sent: Orchid is one of the most unique and instantly recognisable flowers in the world.
article_snippet.sent: Researchers have found that Orchid shape is determined by two competing groups of proteins and by tweaking Researchers, Researchers can convert this lip into a standard petal.
article_snippet.sent: The study, published in the journal Nature Plants, extends scientists' understanding of the mechanisms leading to the diverse beauty of orchid flowers.
article_snippet.sent: There are between 21,950 and 26,049 accepted species of Orchid, most of which have a large and irregular modified petal, called the lip, in addition to three 'normal' petals.
article_snippet.sent: The structure of orchids is unique among floral plants.
article_snippet.sent: The structure of orchids also have three sepals, which sometimes look like other petals, and a single column at the centre which is used during reproduction.
article_snippet.sent: Researchers converted lips into petals in two orchid species by reducing the activity of the L complex using gene silencing (illustrated) Conversion of lips into sepal/petal-like structures in Oncidium and Phalaenopsis orchids is shown .
article_snippet.sent: Orchids have three sepals, which sometimes look like other petals, and a single column at the centre.
article_snippet.sent: researchers  from National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan found that in mature orchid flowers, the expression pattern suggests two protein complexes, called the 'L' complex and the 'SP' complex, compete to promote the formation of the lip and standard petals.
article_snippet.sent: The have called this mechanism the Perianth code and discovered that orchid species from many subfamilies with different types of lips and petals all obey this mechanism.
article_snippet.sent: The experts were also able to convert lips into petals in two orchid species by reducing the activity of the L complex using gene silencing.
article_snippet.sent: Chang-Hsien Yang and his colleagues from National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan found that in mature orchid flowers, the expression pattern suggests two protein complexes, called the 'L' complex and the 'SP' complex, compete to promote the formation of the lip and standard petals.
article_snippet.sent: The have called this mechanism the Perianth code and discovered that orchid species from many subfamilies with different types of lips and petals all obey this mechanism.
article_snippet.sent: The experts were also able to convert lips into petals in two orchid species by reducing the activity of the L complex using gene silencing.
article_snippet.sent: The experts found that in mature orchid flowers,  two protein complexes, called the 'L' complex (red) and the 'SP' complex (blue), compete to form the lip and petals.