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telegraph-plant

Scientific Name: Codariocalyx motorius

Family: Fabaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Codariocalyx motorius: The Telegraph Plant

Codariocalyx motorius, commonly known as the telegraph plant, dancing plant, or semaphore plant, is a fascinating tropical Asian shrub renowned for its unique leaf movements.

Considerations for Pets

  • This plant is sometimes grown indoors.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Codariocalyx motorius
  • Synonyms: Desmodium gyrans
  • Family: Leguminosae (Pea Family)

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to tropical Asia.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • It's a tropical shrub.
  • Has trifoliolate compound leaves.
  • The plant swivels its leaves.

Quirky Facts

  • The telegraph plant is one of the few plants capable of rapid movement discernible to the naked eye.
  • Its leaflets move in jerks in response to stimuli, a strategy to maximize sunlight exposure.
  • Charles Darwin described Codariocalyx motorius in his 1880 book "The Power of Movement in Plants."
  • The plant's movements have been compared to the movements of a telegraph or semaphore signal.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Its movement is related to maximize sunlight exposure.