They found that a pre-pattern is set up on the petal surface very early in the flower's formation, long before the petal shows any visible color. The petal acts like a 'paint-by-numbers' canvas ...

Trey Speegle on paint-by-numbers art.• About a year ago, I collaborated with Anthropologie to create a home collection using my artwork: soap sets, puzzles, plates, pilows, rugs, bedding ...

"Flowers use adjustable 'paint by numbers' petal designs to attract pollinators." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 September 2024. <www.sciencedaily.com / releases / 2024 / 09 / 240913145627.htm>.

The petal acts like a 'paint-by-numbers' canvas, where different regions are predetermined to develop specific colors and textures long before they start looking different from one another.