The Phalaenopsis orchid is one of the most popular ornamental plants worldwide. A unique characteristic of these plants is the long blooming period and lifespan of its flowers. Here, Mao et al. have identified a role for the HD-ZIP II transcription factor gene PaHAT14 in regulating and maintaining cuticle deposition in Phalaenopsis flower perianths, which helps protect floral organs from water loss. They further demonstrated that PaHAT14 fulfills this role by suppressing the expression of the downstream transcription factor gene PaERF105.

The cover image shows significant increases in cuticle deposition on the abaxial side of petals in PaHAT14-overexpressing Phalaenopsis flowers, visualized by oil red staining and detected through confocal laser scanning microscopy.