A plant commonly found in pots in apartments, balconies and gardens has attracted scientific attention for an unexpected reason: its leaves appear to organize their veins following a logic similar to the one used in maps, digital networks and urban planning.
The species in question is Pilea peperomioides, known as the “Chinese money plant,” which is native to southern China and has become a very popular ornamental plant in many parts of the world.
What is surprising is that the larger veins emerge as boundaries between these pores, forming closed polygons. The plant, of course, is not performing calculations.
What the study suggests is that local biological processes, repeated throughout the growth phase, can generate an organizational structure visually similar to the…
more
Source www.theweather.com
Terms of use and third-party services. More here.