Stem sends out climbing gear: cheese plant

1 of 2 Cheese plant climbing a tree / DMF Prazeres / License

Roots of the cheese plant help it climb host trunks by issuing from nodes on the stem and wrapping around the trunk.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Move or stay put >
	Attach >
	Temporarily

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Fasteners, clips, snaps, slide fastener tapes.

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"Almost every element of plant anatomy, it seems, can be turned into some kind of climbing device. The cheese plant climbs with its roots, sending them out from its nodes, the places on its stem from which leaves normally spring, and wrapping them around the trunk of its host. European ivy sprouts roots all along the underside of its stems. They are so thin that they can cling to any tiny rugosity. Honeysuckle uses its own stem, winding it around the thicker stem of others. The glory lilies of tropical Africa and Asia have elongated the tips of their leaves into little mobile wires with which they hook themselves on to any support they can find." (Attenborough 1995:161)

About the inspiring organism

Monstera deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa Liebm.

Some organism data provided by: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Fasteners, clips, snaps, slide fastener tapes.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Hardware

References

Attenborough, D. 1995. The Private Life of Plants: A Natural History of Plant Behavior. London: BBC Books. 320 p.