Movement of plants, a matter of fluids
2005/09/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria
Most plants do not move much, but there are plants capable of making rapid movements. For example, as soon as the food is felt, the carnivorous plant Dionaea muscipula closes its leaves. The fruit of the Ecballium elaterium plant explodes to distribute the seeds and small flowers of the Canadian Cornish or Canadian Zuhandor cast into the sky.
A group of botanists analyses the movement of plants. In general, plants have three ways to move. For small, slow movements, the cells are inflated and empty. The leaves of the Dionaea muscipula plant, on the other hand, are able to store energy and use it when they need it. Finally, the Canadian tuft is based on intracellular pressure: the pressure increases gradually, until the cell explodes.
According to the researchers, the key is in the speed of arrival of the fluid to the tissues, which differentiates the three types of movement. In addition, they have shown that fungi use the same system to move.
