Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Study of the geometry and folding pattern of leaves of Mimosa pudica

  • Published:
Journal of Bionic Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Many structural and functional properties possessed by plants have great potentials to stimulate new concepts and innovative ideas in the field of biomimetic engineering. The key inputs from biology can be used for creation of efficient and optimized structures. The study of the geometry and folding pattern of leaves of Mimosa pudica, referred as Sensitive Plant, reveals some of the peculiar characteristics during folding and unfolding. When the leaf is touched, it quickly folds its leaflets and pinnae and droops downward at the petiole attachment. With the help of experiments on simulation model, the variations in angle of leaflets and degree of compaction after folding are investigated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Braam J. In touch: Plant responses to mechanical stimuli. The New Phytologist, 2005, 165, 373–389.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. De Focatiis D S, Guest S D. Deployable membranes designed from folding tree leaves. Philosophical Transactions of Royal Society of London A, 2002, 15, 227–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Kobayashi H, Kresling B, Vincent J F V. The geometry of unfolding tree leaves. Proceedings of Royal Society London B: Biological Science, 1998, 265, 147–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Vogel S. Drag and reconfiguration of broad leaves in high winds. Journal of Experimental Botany, 1989, 40, 941–948.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Niklas K J. Plant Biomechanics: An Engineering Approach to Plant Form and Function, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, USA, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Unda J, Weisz J, Rivacoba J, Ruiz Uríen I, Capitanio R S. Family of deployable/retractable structures for space application. Acta Astronautica, 1994, 32, 767–784.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Miura K, Natori M. 2-D array experiment on board a space flyer unit. Space Solar Power Review, 1985, 5, 345–356.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Guest S D, Pellegrino S. Inextensional wrapping of flat membranes. Proceedings of 1st International Seminar on Structural Morphology, Motro R, Wester T (eds), Montpellier, Cananda, 1992, 203–215.

  9. Herbig A, Kull U. Leaves and ramification. Proceedings of 2nd International Symposium, Part 2, Stuttgart, Germany, 1991, 109–117.

  10. Howard R A. Flora of the Lesser Antilles, Leeward and Windward Islands, Vol. 4, part 1, Dicotyledoneae, Arnold Arboretum-Harvard University, USA, 1977, 673.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Holm L G, Plucknett D L, Pancho J V, Herberger J P, East-West Center. The World’s Worst Weeds: Distribution and Biology, University Press of Hawaii, USA, 1977, 609.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Mechanics, S.V. National Institute of Technology, Ichchanath, 395007, Surat, Gujarath, India

    H. S. Patil & Siddharth Vaijapurkar

Authors
  1. H. S. Patil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Siddharth Vaijapurkar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Siddharth Vaijapurkar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Patil, H.S., Vaijapurkar, S. Study of the geometry and folding pattern of leaves of Mimosa pudica. J Bionic Eng 4, 19–23 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1672-6529(07)60008-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1672-6529(07)60008-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation