News Microbes

Horsetail spores don’t need legs to jump

Plant's curly, humidity-controlled ribbons propel epic leaps

horsetail spore

BOING  The tiny spore of a horsetail uncurls its four ribbonlike elaters as humidity drops. If the elaters uncurl  suddenly, they can launch the spore in an extreme jump.

Philippe Marmottant

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

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They look like lifeless green dust, but the spores of spiky horsetail plants can jump about 200 times their body length.