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Panamanian Tree Fern Repurposes Dead Leaves into Roots

Unique adaptation allows Cyathea rojasiana to draw nutrients from nutrient-poor volcanic soils

Banyan tree
Panama tree ferns transform zombie leaves into life-saving roots
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One-Of-A-Kind "Zombie" Fern Can Reanimate Dead Leaves To Feed The Rest Of The Plant

Overview

  • Scientists have discovered that the Cyathea rojasiana, a tree fern species found only in Panama, can repurpose its dead leaves into roots that draw nutrients from the soil to feed the mother plant.
  • The phenomenon, termed 'zombie leaves', occurs after the leaves die and droop to the ground, embedding themselves in the soil and sprouting a network of rootlets.
  • The tree fern belongs to an ancient lineage dating back to the Jurassic period and the 'zombie leaves' are likely an adaptation to the nutrient-poor volcanic soils of Panama.
  • The tree fern grows very slowly, adding only a few centimeters of height a year, making each leaf a major investment of resources that the plant repurposes after the leaf dies.
  • This discovery is a novel example of plant adaptations in resource-poor environments and is distinct from what is known about other ferns.