The walk and jump of horsetail spores (Equisetum)

Horsetails reproduce by producing tiny spherical spores. The spores have four ribbon-like appendages sensible to moisture. Theses "legs" fold back around the main body in humid air and deploy upon drying. This specificity allows spores to move: during humidity cycles, we found out that spores are performing steps and even jumps. Such locomotion mechanisms were never observed in other spore plants.

Music:
Also sprach Zarathustra by R. Strauss, Barbara Schubert / University of Chicago 2000, Community Audio, Creative Common License
The blue Danube waltz by J. Strauss II, George Szell / Vienna Philharmonic 1934, Community Audio, Creative Common License

• Kategorie

  • Wissenschaft & Technik

• Lizenz

  • Standard-YouTube-Lizenz

• Musik

  • "An der schönen blauen Donau (Walzer, Nr.314)" von Wiener Philharmoniker (Google Play • iTunes)