Refrigerated flowers in the torrid Mediterranean summer.

This article explores the unique phenomenon of Carlina corymbosa thistle flowers in the Mediterranean having a cooler interior than the surrounding air during the hot summer months. The author conducted temperature measurements and found that the interior of the flowers was consistently cooler than the air outside. The study suggests that this cooling effect is achieved through enhanced transpiration in the flowers, which is more effective in the high ambient temperatures and low humidity of the Mediterranean climate. The article also discusses the potential benefits of this cooling mechanism for the plant's reproduction by attracting pollinators. Further research can be done to test this hypothesis. [Extracted from the article]