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A handful of plants in the home horticulture cosmos are care for for their somewhat unequaled demeanour .
These flora go mainly to the sister genus ofCalathea , Goepperia , andMaranta , all from the Marantaceae family .
What makes these plants so striking is that their leaves fold upwards at night in a prayer - like pose .
This has pull in them the common name ofprayer plants .
But why exactly do these plant do this , and how ?
Why Do Prayer Plants Pray?
There are many hypothesis on why supplicant plants have their unique cause , beginning with the underlying mechanical explanation of nyctinasty .
We ’ve included the most pop theories , as the proper account may immix some or all of these .
Nyctinastic Reactions
Before we get into the “ why , ” allow ’s take a moment to understand the “ how ” behind the appeal plant drive .
The terminal figure “ nyctinasty ” bear on to motion spark off by light stage .
These movement countenance a prayer plant always to have its leaves positioned to get the most ignitor and therefore have the most efficient photosynthesis .
However , theories regarding why a entreaty works has developed this mechanism broaden far beyond simple light - gathering . This does n’t explain why they turn up into a closed in position at night when the light is at its down .
This movement constantly occurs throughout the daylight , often so subtly that you never mark it .
As plant lack muscle tissues , petition flora have developed a unparalleled joint at the groundwork of their foliage called a pulvinus .
This marijuana cigarette is made of special cells which can swell or shrink depending on how much pee is present .
When specific cells swell , it create pressure that shifts the attached leafage to a new place .
Theory: Protection From Fungal Infections
This is one of the more practical theories out there .
Most plant have leaves that remain subject at night . This allows rain and dew to settle on the leave-taking .
This moisture evaporates more tardily as it ’s cool at dark , tempt fungal spores to infect the wet leafage .
to boot , the leaves ’ movement can induce water to play off the folio , further protecting it from fungal infection .
Of all the existing possibility , this is perhaps the most wide accepted .
Theory: Temperature Regulation
This is another popular theory that look at simple practicality for an explanation .
Think about what you do when you ’re cold .
Do you extend yourself out or curl up up in a ball to stay warm ?
This is why the scrotum in mammalian male person expands and contract , as the nut require a specific temperature range to bring about sperm cell .
This is why temperature regulation is a popular theory .
Supporters contend that close down the leaves at Nox when it ’s ice chest assist the works husband heating system , and by opening up further when it ’s lovesome , there ’s a larger surface area to ventilate extra heat and aid in transpiration ( the plant equivalent to sweating ) .
Theory: Moisture Retention
While this theory goes hand - in - hand with the first theory we bring up , it ’s less popular .
According to this hypothesis , the folio open up to catch rainwater , then tightlipped at night to reduce dehydration .
This theory is n’t as popular because it seems to contradict transpiration .
Transpiration is a outgrowth in which a plant eliminate more than 97 % percent of the H2O it absorbs through especial pores in the leaves .
The resulting wet evaporates , increase humidness levels around the flora , interchangeable to how our exertion cools us off in hot weather .
If the plant opens its leaf to take up water system while also actively sweating the water back out , there ’s no need for both processes to coexist .
Theory: Insect Defense
Although this possibility can not be ruled out as a potential fillip for the supplication plant movement , it has its reasonable portion of problem .
According to this theory , appeal plant close their leaves at night to make it harder for dirt ball pests to feed off of them .
While it certainly reduces the potential control surface area , most piercing louse feed off the bottom of the leaves , which are the constituent of the leaves left exposed at night .
However , it could be argued that this is intentional , as the whole cause aphids , mealybugs , wanderer pinch , and other pesterer choose the undersides of parting is to help them hide from piranha .
By folding up at nighttime , those delicate undersurface are in full view for any ladybug , parasitic wasp , or other hunter that happen to pass by .
Of of course , this would also impart the entreaty plant life ’s lead more susceptible to chewing insects such as grasshoppers and cat , as they now have easy access to not one but two folio at once .
The Theories vs. Reasons They Won’t Pray
Sometimes a prayer plant reject to beg , and these reasons have a fortune to do with the theory of why they pray in the first lieu .
For example , the mechanism trust on light to run , so a lack of light will prevent the flora from opening up .
Conversely , too much exposure to direct sunlight can singe the leaves , trapping them in an open position .
One of the reasons the fungal hypothesis has so much livelihood is that the leaf wo n’t fold if there ’s not enough body of water or humidity .
If the plant close to melt off the risk of fungous infections , it stands to reason that the leaves wo n’t close in a situation where that risk is no longer present .
Of of course , if the flora is dehydrated enough , this could touch on its ability to pray since the mechanism relies on water fill the specialized cells .
Finally , note that your orison plant life has a habit of “ forgetting ” to implore when stress – just like you and me .
So if your prayer plant is n’t do normally , mark off to see if anything in its environment has changed or if the plant is sick .
In most case , direct the change or unwellness will have your prayer works usually praying again within a few years .
