Lottia digitalis Point on the California coast, "L. digitalis" coexists with the similar species, "Lottia scabra", but each occupies a slightly different habitat. "L. digitalis" tends to occupy vertical rock faces or overhangs and certain horizontal ones clothed by algae and barnacles. "L. digitalis" clump together more often, prefer wave-exposed areas, occupy sites further up the shore and are seldom found in rock pools. Both species move about freely when the tide is up but "L. digitalis" settles in a different location at each low tide whereas "L. scabra" tends to home to the same spot. "L. scabra" has a more rugged
Drug discovery products have often been used as the starting point for drug discovery. Until the Renaissance, the vast majority of drugs in Western medicine were plant-derived extracts. This has resulted in a pool of information about the potential of plant species as important sources of starting materials for drug discovery. Botanical knowledge about different metabolites and hormones that are produced in different anatomical parts of the plant (e.g. roots, leaves, and flowers) are crucial for correctly identifying bioactive and pharmacological plant properties. Identifying new drugs and getting them approved for market has proved to be a stringent process due to regulations