In Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan Province, Viet Nam, India and other places in China, there is indeed a kind of dancing grass, which is called dancing grass. Dancing grass, like soybean, belongs to Leguminosae and is a close relative of soybean. Its leaves are compound leaves composed of three leaves, the middle leaf is particularly large and rectangular, while the leaves on both sides are very small. It has purplish red flowers and straight sickle-shaped pods. Interestingly, the two leaflets of the dance grass can rotate freely, about once every minute; The big leaf in the middle only swings at an angle of about 6 to 20 degrees, as if it were dancing constantly.

Dancing grass and the mystery of dancing

Why does the dancing grass dance? Through observation, scientists found that the dancing behavior of dancing grass is related to sunlight. If the dancing grass is moved to a dark place, its movement will gradually weaken and finally stop; If you turn your back on the sun, it will start dancing again. In addition, the dancing behavior of grass is also related to temperature. If the outside temperature reaches 30 degrees, the leaflets on both sides jump the happiest and the dance steps are round; If the temperature is lower than or higher than 30 degrees, it will not dance so happily, and the steps will be oval.

Through research, scientists have further uncovered the mystery of grass dance. It turns out that under the stimulation of sunlight and temperature, the leaf seat cells of Cao Dan petiole will contract or relax, which will lead to the movement of leaves. This kind of exercise is beneficial to the survival of the grass itself: reducing the direct sunlight area, reducing water transpiration, and preventing the damage of animals such as insects.