Everything about Tendril totally explained
In
botany, a
tendril is a specialized
stem,
leaf or
petiole with a threadlike shape that's used by
climbing plants for support and attachment, generally by twining around whatever it touches.
History
The earliest and most comprehensive study of tendrils was
Charles Darwin's monograph
On the Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants, which was originally published in 1865. This work also coined the term
circumnutation to describe the motion of growing stems and tendrils seeking supports.
Biology of tendrils
In the
garden pea, it's only the terminal leaflets that are modified to become tendrils. In other plants such as the
yellow vetch (
Lathyrus aphaca) the whole leaf is modified to become tendrils while the
stipules become enlarged and carry out
photosynthesis. Still others use the
rachis of a compound leaf as a tendril, such as members of the genus
Clematis.
The specialised pitcher traps of
Nepenthes plants form on the end of tendrils. The tendrils of aerial pitchers are usually coiled in the middle. If the tendril comes into contact with an object for long enough it'll usually curl around it, forming a strong anchor point for the pitcher. In this way, the tendrils help to support the growing stem of the plant.
Tendril can also be used to describe a wisp of hair or indeed anything that resembles the tendrils of plants.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Tendril'.
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