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Writer's pictureYaman Kumar

Do plants have thinking capabilities? What are the evidence and speculations?

Updated: Feb 20, 2022

Okay. So here we are with yet another very interesting question. Do the life supporters of our planet think? Yes. I am talking of plants. Now before you start calling me mad, just hear me out (or in this case, read me out).


WHAT ARE PLANTS?

So what comes to our mind when we think of plants? Green Photosynthesizers that provide us with oxygen and take away our Carbon Dioxide. But plants do so much more than that. They also respire, like most of us. They also eat, sleep and excrete too. There are theories supporting the fact that plants can even understand and speak to each other. They are one of the most precious things on the Planet. Even more than the "Precious Metals and jewels".


DO PLANTS HAVE INTELLIGENCE?

So the million dollar question becomes, do plants actually have intelligence? Many people consider plants as "dumb". If any of you do, let me correct you. Plants are one of the most cunning beings on the planet! Yes, you heard it right.

Take the case of Venus Flytrap and the Pitcher plant. They both know when a prey is sitting on the right spot and they both close their mouth and lead respectively at such a time that the insect becomes trapped. How do they do it? By using various fine tuned impulses and having highly optimized hair growths which are very finely tuned and do their work pretty fantastically.




Now, you may say that these are all chemical impulses that they receive. There is no cunningness involved here. Where is the cleverness?


BEHOLD THE MAJESTY HIS HIGHNESS...…

OPHRYS APIFERA (THE MEDITERRANEAN ORCHID)


If you thought you had seen everything, you might be wrong. The cunningness of plants is best represented by The Mediterranean Orchid. For those who don't know, the orchid is a plant that has very beautiful flowers. But the Mediterranean one has a pretty good thinking too.


WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL?

The Mediterranean orchid employs a very cunning method of pollination. It is called "Sexual Deceit".

This orchid makes itself smell like a female bee so as to attract the male bees. But the plant does not stop there. It even goes to the extent where its one of the petals looks very much in appearance like a female bee, so that the male bee could be deceived to believe that there is a female bee present. The male bee thinks that the petal is a female bee, goes to it and tries to copulate with it! This phenomenon is called "Pseudo Copulation"! In this process, the pollens stick to the male bee and are transferred to another flower when the male bee Pseudocopulates with another flower, thinking it to be a female bee, thus completing pollination of the flower! Amazing, right?



That was all guys for today! I hope you enjoyed reading the post. Share the post if you found it to be informative and subscribe to the blog for more amazing posts like this! Thank you.

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