Hi there...

Anyone know how or what mechanisim a tendril uses to know which way to
wind around a (wrot iron) support (post)?

There were 4 posts for this winding plant to use.

It wound around all four posts in the same direction. ?? Go figure?

Any help would be appreciated.

Best regards,

Stan-

Genetics--Twining direction varies by group. Some plants or plant
families are all left-handers (counter-clockwise) and some are all
right-handers (clockwise).

This was the subject of the famous song "Misalliance" by Flanders and
Swann. http://www.nomorelyrics.net/song/179729.html

M. Reed.



Stan wrote:
Hi there...

Anyone know how or what mechanisim a tendril uses to know which way to
wind around a (wrot iron) support (post)?

IIRC, Darwin wrote on this topic which fascinated him.
PvR

"monique" schreef
Genetics--Twining direction varies by group. Some plants or plant
families are all left-handers (counter-clockwise) and some are all
right-handers (clockwise).

This was the subject of the famous song "Misalliance" by Flanders and
Swann. http://www.nomorelyrics.net/song/179729.html

M. Reed.



Stan wrote:
Hi there...

Anyone know how or what mechanisim a tendril uses to know which way to
wind around a (wrot iron) support (post)?

Thank you so much for the info.. *Smile

As a machinist and with some metal experience, I find it interesting how the
tendril actually bends toward the curl.
A bimetalic strip, as used in a thermostat, will bend on temperature change
because on one side of the strip that metal will expand or contract faster
than that of the other.

I'm curious how it's effected in the plant.

Any info?

Much appreciation for your contributions.

Best regards,

Stan-
"Stan" wrote in message
...
Hi there...

Anyone know how or what mechanisim a tendril uses to know which way to
wind around a (wrot iron) support (post)?

There were 4 posts for this winding plant to use.

It wound around all four posts in the same direction. ?? Go figure?

Any help would be appreciated.

Best regards,

Stan-

In article ,
Stan Dornfeld wrote:

As a machinist and with some metal experience, I find it interesting how the
tendril actually bends toward the curl.
A bimetalic strip, as used in a thermostat, will bend on temperature change
because on one side of the strip that metal will expand or contract faster
than that of the other.

I'm curious how it's effected in the plant.

When a plant bends toward the light, or away from the ground, one side
of the growing stem elongates its cells more than the rest, so it's a
little like the bimetallic strip. In twining plants, there would have
to be a diagonal or helical component to this. You may have noticed
that when a clinging structure like a twining stem or the tendrils on
peas or squash contacts something suitable it stops extending and waving
around and grabs hold, something that happens over a period of
hours or less. I don't know the mechanism of detecting the contact
and responding to it, but I think it's pretty cool. No doubt some work
has been done on it.

Btw, I think you've been describing a twining stem, a main structure of
the plant that bears leaves and flowers and wraps itself up the support.
Tendrils are specialized structures derived from leaves that grab hold
of something and hang on. Peas, grapes, squash, melons, cucumbers, etc
all have tendrils, while pole beans and morning glories twine.

I hope somebody who actually knows something about this will correct
my errors and give you a better reply. I mostly answered because nobody
else did., and it's a good question that deserves an answer. ;-)

In article , wrote:
In article ,
Stan Dornfeld wrote:

As a machinist and with some metal experience, I find it interesting how the
tendril actually bends toward the curl.
A bimetalic strip, as used in a thermostat, will bend on temperature change
because on one side of the strip that metal will expand or contract faster
than that of the other.

I'm curious how it's effected in the plant.

[snip]
I hope somebody who actually knows something about this will correct
my errors and give you a better reply. I mostly answered because nobody
else did., and it's a good question that deserves an answer. ;-)

What makes you think plants don't know what they're doing? Haven't
you heard the screams of those infant sprouts as vegans and others
condemn them to an awfull death of being partially mascerated while
still alive, then immersed in an acidic bath to finish 'em off?

Poor little innocents, even denied the chance of a good root.


Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

Directional plant growth responses induced by touch are termed
thigmotropisms. A google.com search on thigmotropism will turn up some
good introductory websites.

The New Phytologist has a 2005 review on plant touch (thigmo-)
responses.

Braam, J. 2005. In touch: Plant responses to mechanical stimuli. New
Phytologist 165: 373-389.

It is available for free online:
http://bioc.rice.edu/~braam/pubs/New...m%20cop y.pdf

Darwin's work on plant thigmo- responses is in the books The Power of
Movement in Plants and Insectivorous Plants. They are both available
for free online.


David R. Hershey

wrote:
Directional plant growth responses induced by touch are termed
thigmotropisms. A google.com search on thigmotropism will turn up some
good introductory websites.

The New Phytologist has a 2005 review on plant touch (thigmo-)
responses.

Braam, J. 2005. In touch: Plant responses to mechanical stimuli. New
Phytologist 165: 373-389.

It is available for free online:
http://bioc.rice.edu/~braam/pubs/New...m%20cop y.pdf

Darwin's work on plant thigmo- responses is in the books The Power of
Movement in Plants

http://pages.britishlibrary.net/char...nt/move_fm.htm

and Insectivorous Plants.
http://pages.britishlibrary.net/char.../insect_fm.htm

They are both available
for free online.



--
John S. Wilkins, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Biohumanities Project
University of Queensland - Blog: evolvethought.blogspot.com
"He used... sarcasm. He knew all the tricks, dramatic irony, metaphor, bathos,
puns, parody, litotes and... satire. He was vicious."

Thank you so much... *S

Nice of you to reply.

Regards,

Stan-

wrote in message
. ..
In article ,
Stan Dornfeld wrote:

As a machinist and with some metal experience, I find it interesting how
the
tendril actually bends toward the curl.
A bimetalic strip, as used in a thermostat, will bend on temperature
change
because on one side of the strip that metal will expand or contract faster
than that of the other.

I'm curious how it's effected in the plant.

When a plant bends toward the light, or away from the ground, one side
of the growing stem elongates its cells more than the rest, so it's a
little like the bimetallic strip. In twining plants, there would have
to be a diagonal or helical component to this. You may have noticed
that when a clinging structure like a twining stem or the tendrils on
peas or squash contacts something suitable it stops extending and waving
around and grabs hold, something that happens over a period of
hours or less. I don't know the mechanism of detecting the contact
and responding to it, but I think it's pretty cool. No doubt some work
has been done on it.

Btw, I think you've been describing a twining stem, a main structure of
the plant that bears leaves and flowers and wraps itself up the support.
Tendrils are specialized structures derived from leaves that grab hold
of something and hang on. Peas, grapes, squash, melons, cucumbers, etc
all have tendrils, while pole beans and morning glories twine.

I hope somebody who actually knows something about this will correct
my errors and give you a better reply. I mostly answered because nobody
else did., and it's a good question that deserves an answer. ;-)

thank you.. *S

Regards,

Stan-
wrote in message
oups.com...
Directional plant growth responses induced by touch are termed
thigmotropisms. A google.com search on thigmotropism will turn up some
good introductory websites.

The New Phytologist has a 2005 review on plant touch (thigmo-)
responses.

Braam, J. 2005. In touch: Plant responses to mechanical stimuli. New
Phytologist 165: 373-389.

It is available for free online:
http://bioc.rice.edu/~braam/pubs/New...m%20cop y.pdf

Darwin's work on plant thigmo- responses is in the books The Power of
Movement in Plants and Insectivorous Plants. They are both available
for free online.


David R. Hershey

Thank you as well. *S

Regards,

Stan-


"John Wilkins" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Directional plant growth responses induced by touch are termed
thigmotropisms. A google.com search on thigmotropism will turn up some
good introductory websites.

The New Phytologist has a 2005 review on plant touch (thigmo-)
responses.

Braam, J. 2005. In touch: Plant responses to mechanical stimuli. New
Phytologist 165: 373-389.

It is available for free online:
http://bioc.rice.edu/~braam/pubs/New...m%20cop y.pdf

Darwin's work on plant thigmo- responses is in the books The Power of
Movement in Plants

http://pages.britishlibrary.net/char...nt/move_fm.htm

and Insectivorous Plants.
http://pages.britishlibrary.net/char.../insect_fm.htm

They are both available
for free online.



--
John S. Wilkins, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Biohumanities Project
University of Queensland - Blog: evolvethought.blogspot.com
"He used... sarcasm. He knew all the tricks, dramatic irony, metaphor,
bathos, puns, parody, litotes and... satire. He was vicious."

in ~1949.. I was 9 years old.

My mother had received a "Wood Rose" from Hawaii.

Mother decided to germinate the seeds. The resulting plant was in a pot
with a stake to wind around. We lived in Indio CA. It was summer. HOT!

One day I heard a fairly high frequency creaking sound, not too loud. I
tracked it to the woodrose. As I took time to study the plant I all of a
sudden noticed the tendrils revolving around the stick it was climbing.
What a treat to actually watch a plant grow. *Smile

I seemed to be circling the stick in about 3 minutes. Just an estimate to
convey the speed of growth.

Thought you might find this interesting...

Regards,

Stan-