Moving with climbing plants from Charles Darwin's time into the 21st century

Abstract

We provide an overview of research on climbing plants from Charles Darwin to the present day. Following Darwin's interests, this review will focus on functional perspectives including attachment mechanisms and stem structure and function. We draw attention to a number of unsolved problems inviting future research. These include the mechanism for establishment of the twining habit, a quantitative description following the development of a tissue element through space and time, the chemistry of sticky exudates, the microstructure of xylem and the capacity for water storage, the vulnerability to embolism, and the mechanism for embolism repair. In conclusion we cite evidence that, in response to increasing CO(2) concentration, anthropic perturbation and/ or increasing forest fragmentation, lianas are increasing relative to tree species. In the 21st century, we are returning to the multiscale, multidisciplinary approach taken by Darwin to understand natural history.

Nanospherical arabinogalactan proteins are a key component of the high-strength adhesive secreted by English ivy

“…In addition, the tensile strength of this reconstructed ivy-mimetic adhesive composite was ∼3.9-, 1.6-, 3.8-, and 1.7-fold stronger than respective adhesive composites consisting of ivy nanoparticles with Ca molecular events within the botanic adhesives, and, accordingly, little is known about the adhesion mechanisms underlying these mucilages. In recent years, the chemical components of several types of botanic adhesives produced by Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), Boston ivy, and F. pumila have been examined by immunocytochemical identification and cytochemical stains (12,(14)(15)(16)(17). Consistently, acidic polysaccharides and glycoproteins, involving pectic acids, AGs, and AGPs, are recognized as the predominant constituents of these adhesive substances.…”

“…Previous studies have emphasized mechanical strategies exploited by multiple climbing organs that evolve in plants (7-11). Nevertheless, the role of the glue-like viscous exudates that are observed on the majority of these organs and that cement the plants to the substrates has been less explored (10,12,13). Diverse polysaccharides and glycoproteins, comprising mucilaginous pectins, arabinogalactans, arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), and many others, have been identified to be the predominant components in these adhesive substances (14-17); however, the molecular mechanisms underlying the high-strength adhesion remain elusive.…”

Self-discrimination in the tendrils of the vine Cayratia japonica is mediated by physiological connection

“…Furthermore, here we described self-discrimination in one species of tendril-bearing climbing plant. We need to examine the self-discrimination systems in other forms of climbing plants (those that use stem twining, leaf climbers, root climbers and hook climbers [24,26]). Stem-twining vines might have different self/nonself responses from those of tendril-coiling vines because twining vines often show self-twining when they fail to encounter a suitable support.…”

“…Therefore, the ability of tendrils to distinguish self from non-self might be an adaptive response to avoid the harmful effects of coiling around and climbing itself. However, self-discrimination has not been reported in climbing plants, even though their growth habits have been studied since Darwin's day [24][25][26].…”

Palaeoecology of Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri, and its implications for resolving the paradox of ‘xeromorphic’ plants in Pennsylvanian wetlands

“…Throughout the clade, regardless of stem size or inferred growth habit, vascular cylinders, including secondary xylem, are divided into discrete bundles (e.g., Steidtmann, 1944;Stidd, 1981) with large diameter tracheary elements, permitting high fluid flow rates even though the total amount of stem and leaf vascular tissue is relatively small (Wilson et al, 2008). Both of these traits are found in modern lianas (Burnham, 2009;Isnard and Silk, 2009). Though having limited wood to provide support, cortical sclerenchyma in stems and leaves appears to have offered structural support in many medullosan species, a conclusion also derived from biogeochemical studies of medullosan tissues (Wilson and Fischer, 2011).…”