Asleep or resting?
Our Daily Challenge ... resting.
Since childhood, I have referred to flowers which have closed up for the night, as being "asleep", so I thought it might be a good subject for this challenge. Some research on the internet reveals that they aren't really sleeping ... but in a way, they are resting in that they are conserving energy for daytime activities such as reproduction.
Plants that tuck themselves in for bedtime exhibit a natural behaviour known as nyctinasty. Scientists know the mechanism behind the phenomenon: In cool air and darkness, the bottom-most petals of certain flowers grow at a faster rate than the uppermost petals, forcing the flowers shut. But scientists are not quite sure why some plants, particularly flowers, evolved this way. There are several theories, though.
Charles Darwin believed that plants close up at night to reduce their risk of freezing. Another theory suggests that nyctinastic plants are conserving energy — and perhaps their odour — for the daytime when pollinating insects are most active.
Some scientists believe that this behaviour prevents pollen from becoming wet and heavy with dew. Insects can more easily transfer dry pollen, improving a nyctinastic plant's likelihood of successful reproduction.
Asleep or resting?
Our Daily Challenge ... resting.
Since childhood, I have referred to flowers which have closed up for the night, as being "asleep", so I thought it might be a good subject for this challenge. Some research on the internet reveals that they aren't really sleeping ... but in a way, they are resting in that they are conserving energy for daytime activities such as reproduction.
Plants that tuck themselves in for bedtime exhibit a natural behaviour known as nyctinasty. Scientists know the mechanism behind the phenomenon: In cool air and darkness, the bottom-most petals of certain flowers grow at a faster rate than the uppermost petals, forcing the flowers shut. But scientists are not quite sure why some plants, particularly flowers, evolved this way. There are several theories, though.
Charles Darwin believed that plants close up at night to reduce their risk of freezing. Another theory suggests that nyctinastic plants are conserving energy — and perhaps their odour — for the daytime when pollinating insects are most active.
Some scientists believe that this behaviour prevents pollen from becoming wet and heavy with dew. Insects can more easily transfer dry pollen, improving a nyctinastic plant's likelihood of successful reproduction.