The work focused on wolfsbane and larkspur and brought together scientists from Michigan State University and the Czech Academy of Sciences. The Powerful Chemistry of Poisonous PlantsDespite major advances in modern science, plants remain unmatched in their ability to produce intricate natural chemicals. In recent years, the group turned its attention to larkspur, which is also called delphinium because of its dolphin-shaped flowers. The tobacco served as a convenient living factory for testing whether the genes could reproduce the plants' chemical process. "Our vision is to provide green, sustainable tools that will allow us to harness these plants' natural power," Hamberger said.