Cell division is central to all living organisms. The partitioning of chromatids at mitosis is both spectacular and superbly organised. If things go wrong uncontrolled proliferation may lead to cancer. Plants don't get cancer although hyperplasia is a common host response to plant pathogens. In this talk, I will try to present the molecular land-scape of the plant cell cycle and, in particular, I will focus on checkpoints which operate in stress conditions. Is there any such thing as normal plant growth and normal temperatures in the field? I doubt it. My view is that all plant cell cycles are under stress and the case for understanding checkpoint proteins is compelling.