gord at homostudy.win-uk.net (G K GRAY) wrote:
>My apologies to someone who asked me to expand on this subject.
>When I set out to send a personal reply I could not find the
>original posting, so this is a "To whom it may concern".
>In a personal message the questioner asked me to expand on my
>statement that plants communicate. Actually it comes more into the
>realms of the philosophy of science and of information theory
>rather than laboratory science in the strict sense, which what the
>questioner's use of the word "findings" might suggest.
>A plant in bloom needs pollination to generate seed for the next
>generation. A costly way of doing this is to make a lot of pollen
>and let it blow on the wind, which is the way with maize. Less
>costly is to make less pollen *and* a cheap attractant - nectar,
>which says in effect "Come and get it!" to the bees, making them
>do some of the work the plant would otherwise be doing. It does not
>imply the plant is *consciously thinking* although that is a
>different subject that may or may not be relevant. It is
>nevertheless communication, a transfer of *information*, being
>closely akin to advertising.
>Cheers! Gord
I have access to some interesting information on plant language and
will email you again once it is to hand.
