The researchers studied how flowers develop in three species of the Phytolacca genus to understand their relationships. They used a scanning electron microscope to examine the process. They found that the first petals grow in a specific order around the flower, and stamen and carpel primordia form on a ring. The number and arrangement of stamen and carpel primordia differ between species. The carpels develop differently in each species, either separately or together. This study suggests that Phytolaccaceae is an ancient group within the Caryophyllales order.