A Plant's Arsenal Of Crystalline Darts And Sand
Monday, August 17, 2009 - 09:14
in Biology & Nature
Crystals are found in hundreds of plant families. Despite this, their purpose is not well-understood. Hypotheses include acting as a deterrent to herbivory, serving as a long-term storage depot for calcium, or providing extra support to various plant tissues. To help elucidate the role of crystals in plants and determine whether this role may actually be to prevent animals from munching on the plant, botanists studied the variety and locations of crystals found in the houseplant Dieffenbachia seguine.