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?
(Score: 2) by Bokononist on Wednesday April 30 2014, @01:13AM
Exactly that, we perceive that the only way to copy is by sight because that is our own experience, there are many ways to mimic and I'm quite sure that our human experience gives us but a few. There is a wonderful quote from Dune; 'What senses do I lack that I cannot perceive another world around me', or something along those lines.
Beware of the man who works hard to learn something, learns it, and finds himself no wiser than before.