Topic: Turgor Pressure
Why does a touch me not plant close?
Hey!! Don't touch that plant. You will get scared.
See, you did not listen to me.
Don't worry!! Nothing to be scared about. Let me tell you more about this plant.
This plant is called the Mimosa Pudica plant. Another name for it is "Touch Me Not" Plant. When anyone touches this plant, it closes its leaves with the help of pulvini. Pulvini are present at the base of each leaflet. They consist of cells filled with water. This water applies pressure against the walls of the cells. This pressure is called the turgor pressure. It helps the leaflets to stand upright.
Now, when we touch a leaflet of the touch me not plant, specific parts of the plant release certain chemicals. These chemicals cause the cells in the pulvini to lose water. When water is lost, there is no more turgor pressure. As a result, the cells collapse, resulting in the closing of leaflets.
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