The sensitive plant detects touch through electrical-chemical means, communicating information from cell to cell. Plant cells change shape by adjusting water content, leading to swelling or shrinking and, consequently, leaf movement.
How does the sensitive plant, lacking nervous and muscle tissue, detect touch and initiate leaf movement?
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The sensitive plant, Mimosa pudica, lacks nervous and muscle tissue but exhibits touch-sensitive leaf movements. Rapid leaf folding is triggered by a process called thigmonasty. Specialized cells, called pulvini, are concentrated at the base of leaflets and actively pump potassium ions in response to touch. This ion movement results in a rapid loss of turgor pressure, causing cell collapse and reversible leaf folding. The response is thought to be a defense mechanism against herbivores. While lacking a nervous system, the plant employs these specialized cells and ion movements to detect touch and initiate rapid leaf movements in response to mechanical stimulation.