Top 5 plants with special abilities

We always think that plants are inanimate because they do not have brains or nervous systems like animals. However, the plant world contains many mysteries that humans have not yet discovered.

Plants with unique abilities

1. Mimosa pudica

Mimosa pudica will fold in when impacted by external factors. (Photo: Pixabay)

Mimosa pudica L.) is a plant that has the ability to "shrink" itself when impacted from the outside. According to scientists, this ability is related to the "tension effect" of the mimosa leaf. At the end of the leaf stem, there is a thin cell tissue called a leaf bladder, filled with water inside. When touched, the leaf is shaken, the water in the leaf bladder cells immediately rushes to the two upper sides. So the lower part of the leaf bladder collapses like a deflated balloon, while the upper part is like an inflated balloon. That causes the leaf stem to collapse and close. When a leaf closes, it sends a signal to the other leaves, causing them to close in turn. But just a few minutes later, the part below the leaf bladder gradually fills with water again, and the leaf opens up to its original shape.

Another study by scientists at the University of Western Australia shows that the mimosa plant also has the ability to remember events that have happened like animals.

2. Black parrot tree

The black parrot tree (scientific name is Bruguiera sexangula) is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhizophoraceae. This species was first scientifically described by (Lour.) Poir. in 1816. Not only is it a woody plant, the black parrot tree also surprises scientists with its ability to give birth and raise "children" like animals.

The black parrot plant has the ability to give birth and raise "children" like animals. (Photo: Pixabay).

Basically, the black parrot plant also maintains its species like other plants, they flower, transmit pollen, and pollinate to create seeds. However, while the seeds of other plants separate from the mother's body, fall to the ground, then absorb nutrients and take root, germinating into seedlings, the seeds of the black parrot plant germinate into seedlings right on the mother plant's trunk. Until it develops and is able to live independently, the young black parrot plants separate from the mother plant, root in the mud to develop into seedlings. This characteristic is quite similar to the reproductive form of animals: fertilization, pregnancy, and birth. Mothers will take care of their children until they are able to live independently before letting them leave.

3. Baobab tree

Baobab trees are very special trees, originating from Africa and Australia. Baobab trees are from 5 to 30m high and can be up to 50m in diameter. The tree can live in different climatic conditions, especially in arid and harsh climates.

Baobab trees can store up to 120,000 liters of water in their trunks. (Photo: Pixabay)

Baobab trees are of interest to scientists because of their ability to store water inside their swollen trunks. The capacity of the trunk can be up to 120,000 liters of water. The reason the tree can store so much water is to ensure survival in the highly arid conditions specific to each region.

In addition, baobab trees are among the oldest living trees on Earth. Some are believed to be thousands of years old, but because their wood does not produce annual growth rings, this is difficult to verify. Today, thanks to radiocarbon dating, it is possible to determine that most baobabs are only a few hundred years old, with the oldest being 2,000 years old.

4. Mini pitcher plant

Scientists have discovered that the mini pitcher plant also has the ability to actively move its lid to trap prey. The mini pitcher plant (scientific name Nepenthes gracilis) is a plant that often lives in humid environments, especially in the humid tropical forests of Southeast Asia. The pitcher plant consists of two parts, the "pitcher" is elongated, containing digestive juices to liquefy insects that fall into the trap. Meanwhile, the "lid" on top serves to cover the "pitcher" from being soaked in rainwater, avoiding diluting the acid. When prey falls into the pitcher, it will dissolve into nutrients that feed the plant.

Mini pitcher plants also have the ability to actively move the lid to trap prey. (Photo: Pixabay).

Initially, scientists thought the lid only served to protect the pitcher. But then they used high-speed cameras and lasers to observe and discovered that the lid can also trap prey. Specifically, the lid of the pitcher plant acts like a pedal. When it rains, it continuously rotates up and down so that raindrops hit the lid, causing insects to fall into the pitcher.

5. Mustard plant

Mustard or mustard , is a plant species in the genus Brassica and Sinapis, family Brassicaceae. Mustard plants often produce a chemical to attract parasitic wasps to help them kill caterpillars that intend to eat the leaves. The reason is because mustard plants are often eaten by caterpillars. Therefore, when caterpillar eggs appear on the leaves, they will immediately activate this self-defense mechanism.

Mustard plants often produce a chemical to "hire" wasps to help them kill caterpillars that eat the leaves. (Photo: Pixabay).

Additionally, in 2014, British scientists determined that white mustard plants can limit the destruction of chemical weapons. Tests showed that mustard plants grown in soil contaminated with the nerve agent VX absorbed the poison through their roots and retained it for at least 45 days. This finding suggests the possibility of using mustard plants to decontaminate soil after chemical warfare.