Alpine scree plants benefit from cryptic coloration with limited cost.

Like animals, plants are attacked by enemies (herbivores) that forage using visual cues; however, the defensive coloration type known as cryptic coloration was rarely reported in plants. For most autotrophic plants, because photosynthesis relies on the presence of chlorophyll, a green leaf appearance is standard. However, if having leaves that are not green is more beneficial than costly, such coloration may evolve under certain conditions. Taking advantage of the leaf color dimorphism of Corydalis benecincta, we showed that the cryptically colored leaves confer a clear benefit without obvious cost in natural populations. Based on this study, we try to provide a framework on which to base a cost-benefit analysis to investigate the evolution of cryptic leaf coloration in plants.