do plants really follow the sun

[CHandVEL at vip.CyberCity.dk]

Thank you - nicely done  --  Chris



----- Original Message ----- 
From: mystic <mystic at lcc.net>
To: <plantbio at hgmp.mrc.ac.uk>
Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2000 11:47 AM
Subject: Re: do plants really follow the sun


> patrickhall at earthlink.com wrote:
> > 
> > What part of a plant detects light so it can follow the sun?
> 
> Plants follow the sun because of increased elongation of the stem on the
> shadowed side.  The growth of cells on the sunny side of the stem is
> suppressed by the presence of light (the growth hormone that causes
> cells to lengthen is photo-sensitive), so that one side of the stem is
> slightly longer than the other.  This makes the stem bend toward the sun
> during the day.  
> 
> Appleman
> 

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