One of the interesting things I learned recently from an article written by Dr. David M. Kuchta in Treehugger, is that plants have feelings too. It is, however, not like how humans or animals feel. Plants have no brains and a central nervous system where feelings are processed. They have a different system for sensing and remembering things that happen to them and in their surroundings.
Plants react to stimuli, such as touch, which is proof that they can “feel”. For example, if you touch the leaves of the plant Mimosa pudica, locally known as makahiya or malamarine in kapampangan, they will close instantly. It is a defense mechanism against predators. By the way, the famous Mimoza Leisure Estate in Clark was named after this plant. Its logo is the makahiya leaf.
Another plant that can “feel” is the carnivorous species Dionaea muscipula, better known as the venus flytrap. When something bends the sensitive trigger hairs on the outside of the plant, its jaws shut, trapping insects inside. The plant then secretes digestive juices to dissolve the soft parts of the insect then opens up to “spit out” the indigestible parts.
Plants retain memories of interactions with humans or animals which is distributed throughout the plant, closer to where the memory is needed. If you touch the leaves of a sensitive plant repeatedly, the plant will no longer close its leaves. It has learned that the sensation is not a threat. It will retain that knowledge for up to 40 days.
Plants are aware of their environment too. In countries where there are four seasons, plants bloom at a precise time in spring. If they bloom early, they will miss the arrival of pollinators. If they bloom during winter when it is too cold, they will die or suffer injury. In the Philippines, we have seasonal fruits like lanzones. These plants know exactly when to flower and bear fruits in accordance with the weather.
Plants also communicate with each other (marites din sila). They signal stress chemically through their leaves. When an herbivore nibbles on an acacia tree, the plant emits toxins not only to ward off the nibbler but to signal to neighbor plants, who also begin emitting toxins. Recent studies of plant communication show that some plants also emit high-frequency sound waves. Tomato and tobacco plants produce sounds during droughts or when their leaves are cut.
Plants can also be good listeners. Pea plants send their roots toward the sound of moving water even if the sound is recorded and no water is present. And primrose flowers produce sweeter nectar when exposed to the sound (artificial or natural) of bees buzzing.
Believe it or not, plants can sing too. A musician from Canada, Tarun Nayar, makes nature-inspired electronic music under the name Modern Biology. Many of Nayar's beautiful music pieces, which he calls "organismic music," are created by recording the bioelectric pulses from living plants and fungi, which are then overlaid with Nayar's original compositions. By using a variety of modular synthesizers and small jump cables gently hooked up to fungi, Nayar is able to coax some of the most fascinating sounds out of these organisms.
If you want to listen to the music, go to the Treehugger website (https://www.treehugger.com/) and search for the article “Biologist-Turned-Musician Creates Sonic Magic with Bioelectricity From Fungi” written by Kimberley Mok.