Abstract
In an arid area like the Namib Desert, plants and animals obtain moisture needed for life from mist in the air. There, some plants have hairs or fibrous structures on their leaf surface that reportedly collect fresh water from the air. We examined the morphology and function of leaf hairs of plants during water collection under different circumstances. We studied the water collecting mechanics of several plants having fibrous hairs on their leaves: tomato, balsam pear, Berkheya purpurea, and Lychnis sieboldii. This plant was selected for detailed investigation as a model because this plant originated from dry grassland near Mount Aso in Kyusyu, Japan. We found a unique feature of water collection and release in this plant. The cone-shaped hairs having inner microfibers were reversibly converted to crushed plates that were twisted perpendicularly in dry conditions. Microfibers found in the hairs seem to be responsible for water storage and release. Their unique reciprocal morphological changes, cone-shaped hairs transformed into perpendicularly twisted shapes, depend on the moisture level in the air, and water stored during wet external conditions was released onto the leaf in drier conditions. These morphological changes were recorded as a movie. Simulations explained the formation of the twisted structure. In theoretical analyses, twisted structures were found to give higher mechanical strength. Similar phenomena were found in the other plants described above. These findings pave the way to new bioinspired technology for alleviating global water shortages.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf hairs converted reversibly from cones into perpendicularly twisted crushed plates under dry conditions.
- Taxon
- Lychnis sieboldii
Silene sieboldiit0 - Organ / stage
- hairse0
- Outcome
- crushed plates that were twisted perpendicularlye0
- Qualifier
- dry conditionse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The cone-shaped hairs having inner microfibers were reversibly converted to crushed plates that were twisted perpendicularly in dry conditions.”
t0“and Lychnis sieboldii.”
Claim · model-written summary
Hair microfibers appear responsible for water storage and release.
- Taxon
- Lychnis sieboldiiSilene sieboldiit0
- Organ / stage
- hairse0
- Outcome
- water storage and releasee0
- Qualifier
- Microfiberse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Microfibers found in the hairs seem to be responsible for water storage and release.”
t0“and Lychnis sieboldii.”
Claim · model-written summary
Water stored in wet conditions was released onto leaves in drier conditions.
- Taxon
- Lychnis sieboldiiSilene sieboldiit0
- Organ / stage
- leafe0
- Outcome
- water stored during wet external conditions was released onto the leaf in drier conditionse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“water stored during wet external conditions was released onto the leaf in drier conditions.”
t0“and Lychnis sieboldii.”
Claim · model-written summary
Simulations explained formation of the twisted hair structure.
- Taxon
- Lychnis sieboldiiSilene sieboldiit0
- Outcome
- formation of the twisted structuree0
Not reportedValue
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Simulations explained the formation of the twisted structure.”
t0“and Lychnis sieboldii.”
Claim · model-written summary
Theoretical analysis found greater mechanical strength for twisted structures.
- Taxon
- Lychnis sieboldiiSilene sieboldiit0
- Organ / stage
- twisted structurese0
- Outcome
- mechanical strengthe0
- Direction
- highere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“twisted structures were found to give higher mechanical strength.”
t0“and Lychnis sieboldii.”
Claim · model-written summary
Similar hair behavior was observed in the other studied plants.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicume0 - Outcome
- water collecting mechanicse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“We studied the water collecting mechanics of several plants having fibrous hairs on their leaves: tomato, balsam pear, Berkheya purpurea, and Lychnis sieboldii.”