Gossiping Plants

Isaiah 40:8
“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

The venus flytrap senses a fly and, in less than a second, its trap springs shut. It will eat today. A new area of science is plant behavior. Plant behaviorists point out that plants, like the venus flytrap that interact with animals, have to move on an animal scale. We have traditionally thought of plants as inactive living things that just sit there. But as we learn more about them, we are beginning to discover that plants are much more active than we ever thought.

 Other plants move as well, often when they interact with animals. But sometimes not. When a white mulberry tree opens its blooms, they open at half the speed of sound. But there’s more than this to plant behavior. Scientists have learned that plants have memory, despite the lack of a nervous system or brain. Yet, when a leaf has mobilized its defenses against a predator in the past, it will do so more quickly the next time the threat returns. Previously we have talked about how plants communicate by emitting scents. When a leaf is attacked, a scent is emitted, warning surrounding leaves and plants. Scientists now call this “plant gossiping.”

When we see how much ability God has given even plants, we are led to realize, thankfully, that God has been even more generous to us.

Prayer:
Father, I rejoice and thank You for Your generous gifts to me, most especially for Your grace and forgiveness. Amen.

Notes:
Science News, 6/20/09, pp. 16-19, Susan Milius, “No brainer behavior.”