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posted by martyb on Tuesday April 29 2014, @09:46AM   Printer-friendly
from the hiding-from-Tarzan dept.

A woody vine, Boquila trifoliolata, has been discovered in Chile that has the amazing ability to change the shape of its leaves depending on what tree it is climbing. Further, the same single vine can drape different species of tree, and it will match the shape and size of its leaves to those of each host, but only along that portion of its length.

Other vines are known to mimic one species of host, as a defense against herbivores, but this vine can mimic many, along its length. Biologists say "It is unclear how B. trifoliolata vines discern the identity of individual trees and shape-shift accordingly." Speculation is that chemicals or microbes might trigger gene-activating signals that trigger leaf differentiation. But left unsaid is how the vine would "learn" how to match the shape of its new host's leaf, how it would know it had succeeded, where it would acquire the genes to do so, and how many different trees it can mimic.

Wouldn't you need eyes to do that?

 
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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:00AM

    by GreatAuntAnesthesia (3275) on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:00AM (#37577) Journal

    > But left unsaid is how the vine would "learn" how to match the shape of its new host's leaf, how it would know it had
    > succeeded, where it would acquire the genes to do so, and how many different trees it can mimic.

    > Wouldn't you need eyes to do that?

    Nope. Does an individual ant need a degree in architecture to play its part in the building of an anthill? It's instinct (if we can ascribe such a thing to a plant). A long, long, long process of trial and fatal error has resulted in a set of programming instructions that mean that the plant will respond to stimulus A (chemicals A, B and C received from the host plant) with response Z (greeny-red leaves with spiky bits), but will respond to stimulus B (chemicals C, D and E from host) with response Y (purply-red leaves with rounded ends) and so on.

    There is no intelligence required, just incredibly complex programming, built up over countless generations of selection pressure.

    It is amazing though, you can see why some people see the hand of a designer in it.

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  • (Score: 2) by SlimmPickens on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:16AM

    by SlimmPickens (1056) on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:16AM (#37580)

    I think they're asking valid questions about how the fuck it does that.

  • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:25AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:25AM (#37582)

    And you know this how? Because you have studied the gene sequencing and protein synthesis of the plant? By the way, no one said anything about a designer.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by wonkey_monkey on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:41AM

      by wonkey_monkey (279) on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:41AM (#37584) Homepage

      By the way, no one said anything about a designer.

      By the way, no one said anything about anyone else in this discussion saying anything about a designer.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk
    • (Score: 4, Informative) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:50AM

      by GreatAuntAnesthesia (3275) on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:50AM (#37586) Journal

      > And you know this how? Because you have studied the gene sequencing and protein synthesis of the plant?

      I know this because that's how all life on this planet got to be how it is - through mutation and selection.

      > By the way, no one said anything about a designer.

      You're wrong, unless you're counting me as "no one".

      I was simply pointing out that it is understandable for anyone who fails to understand the evolutionary process to grasp at supernatural / magical explanations when confronted with something as awesome and apparently miraculous as a plant that, without eyes, can apparently "see" it's surroundings and camouflage itself accordingly.

      I'm not saying that those explanations are true, just that this is a really mind-blowingly awesome example of what natural selection can produce.

      • (Score: 2) by bucc5062 on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:56AM

        by bucc5062 (699) on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:56AM (#37588)

        "I'm not saying that those explanations are true, just that this is a really mind-blowingly awesome example of what natural selection can produce."

        Well said. (On all accounts)

        --
        The more things change, the more they look the same
  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by wonkey_monkey on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:38AM

    by wonkey_monkey (279) on Tuesday April 29 2014, @10:38AM (#37583) Homepage

    A long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long x 10^lots process of trial and fatal error

    FTFY. A billion years is a big number to get your head around - no wonder some people have trouble understanding just how many things can happen in that time.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk