A leaf damaged by mining moths (left) compared to one faking it (right).
A plant that pretends to be ill has been found growing in the rainforests of Ecuador
The plants feigns sickness to stop it being attacked by insect pests known as mining moths, which would otherwise eat its healthy leaves.The discovery is published in the journal Evolutionary Ecology.
In theory, plants with variegated leaves should be at a disadvantage, because of this restricted ability to photosynthesise.
But a chance discovery by a team of botanists suggests this may not be true after all. Instead, some variegated plants may be mimicking illness to avoid being eaten, putting themselves at an advantage.
Read full story at BBC NEWS.
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