DANCING TREE CODARIOCALYX MOTORIUS seed

LATIN NAME: Codariocalyx motorius

COMMON NAME: Telegraph Plant, Dancing Plant, Semaphore Plant

The telegraph plant is one of the true wonders of the plant world, and it dances. It grows as a shrub of the pea family, reaching one to two metres, with pinnate leaves made up of small leaflets and, at the base of each leaf, a pair of much smaller leaflets that move constantly in a gentle, rhythmic dance, especially in warm, bright conditions, a movement so regular that the plant seems to be signalling, which is how it got its name. Alongside the sensitive plant and the Venus flytrap, it is one of the few plants capable of rapid movement, and it never fails to astonish everyone who sees it.

The telegraph plant belongs to the pea family, Fabaceae, and it is native to tropical Asia. It grows in the warm, open places of the region, and its remarkable leaf movements occur in daylight hours when the temperature is warm, the little leaflets moving up and down in a steady rhythm.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The telegraph plant has a distinguished and growing place in botanical research. It is famous among plant scientists as one of the few plants capable of rapid movement, and researchers have studied the mechanism of its leaf movements for a long time, examining how the little leaflets move in their steady rhythm and what triggers them, which has made the plant a classic subject in research on plant movement and on the biological clocks that drive such rhythms. The plant has also been studied in plant physiology, and its movements have been compared with those of the sensitive plant and the Venus flytrap, the other great movers of the plant world. The species has also been studied for its chemistry, since the plants of the pea family are rich in bioactive compounds. For a plant of such remarkable behaviour, the telegraph plant has an exceptionally rich and fascinating record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Ecologically, the telegraph plant is a generous shrub of the tropical garden. Its small flowers feed bees and other pollinators, its seeds feed small birds, and its dancing leaves are a delight to everyone who sees them, a plant that seems to wave at you as you pass.

Its economic value lies mainly in its wonder. It is grown as a curious and beloved ornamental, prized for its remarkable dancing leaves, and it is a favourite of botanical gardens and plant lovers everywhere, while it is also of real value in education, where it never fails to spark wonder in children and adults alike. For a grower, the telegraph plant is an easy and rewarding shrub, and for a gardener it brings a plant that literally dances. The seeds are easy — nick them lightly and soak them overnight in warm water, then sow them in warm, moist compost, keep them in a warm, bright spot, and they’ll sprout within a couple of weeks, the little plants growing on, and once the second or third leaf appears you’ll see the first dancing leaflets.

Science Name of Plant : Codariocalyx motorius Ohashi

Local Name Dancing Plant

Family : LEGUMINOSAE

PLANT CHARECTER : FULL SUN

: WATER DAILY

: TALL ABOUT 0.5-1.5 METRES.

:THE PLANT YOUNG LEAF CAN MOVE WHEN HEAR NOISY VOICE OR WHEN CLAP LOUNDLY.

: THIS PLANT CAN BE USE AS HERB.