The study demonstrates that RNA extracted from herbarium specimens can be used to generate high‑quality transcriptomes, comparable to those from fresh or silica‑dried samples. By assembling and comparing transcriptomes across specimen types, the authors validated a plant immune receptor synthesized from a 1956 collection, proving archival RNA’s utility for functional genomics. These findings challenge the prevailing view that herbarium RNA is unsuitable for transcriptomic analyses.

The study examined 57 global accessions of the invasive hybrid Kalanchoe xhoughtonii and its parents, revealing extensive cytogenetic and genomic variation among morphotypes but identifying a single tetraploid genotype (morphotype A) that dominates worldwide. This genotype exhibits remarkable genetic uniformity, high phenotypic plasticity, and prolific vegetative propagation, illustrating how hybridization and polyploidy can drive rapid invasive success.