Scientists have discovered why the leaves of a special tropical plant can reflect blue light. 

A team of researchers from the University of Bristol suggests that the glowing leaves of the Begonia pavonina plant, which is found in Malaysia, boosts its photosynthesis process by up to 10 percent.

In this new study, scientists examined the cellular structures of this glowing plant and how it harvests light to increase its efficiency. The B. pavonina's leaves appear almost iridescent as its color shifts depending on how you view it.

 According to the lead author of the study, Heather Whitney of the University of Bristol, the iridescence of the flower petals can signal pollinators. However, the leaves remain a mystery since the B. pavonina thrives in thick rainforests where sunlight can rarely touch the ground.

Whitney says this appears at first as counter-intuitive, as this plant lives in a dark environment but produces so much light that it reflects off its leaves.

The team examined the leaves and discovered that the blue color originates from distinct chloroplasts known as iridoplasts, which apparently use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water to sugar and oxygen.

Regular chloroplasts in plants contain membranes that are stacked together in multiple layers. However, in iridoplasts, these membranes, known as thylakoids, are stacked three or four at a time to let certain colors pass through, resulting in the green light.

This means that no matter how little sunlight is available, all wavelengths are concentrated during photosynthesis.

This new study was published in the journal, Nature Plants.