Leaflets of Mimosa pudica (common names: sensitive plant, touch-me-not) have a remarkable ability to close up in response to being touched or physically moved. How fast can the leaflets close? How does this occur? And more importantly, what benefit could this unusual response provide to the plant? The mechanism of leaflet closure is similar to what happens during the shrinking of guard cells and closing of stomata (see Figure 37.22). When in the open position, special cells on the upper surface of Mimosa leaflets are filled with water and are under pressure. Explain how osmosis and flow of ions into and out of these special cells may be involved in leaflet closure and reopening.

Video transcript

Hello everyone and welcome to today's video. So when the leaves of plants such as mimosa are touched, the cells near the touch, similar export potassium ions outside of the cell. Now these are followed by water causing the cells to close. What effect will this have on the mimosa lives? So I want you to understand what the consequence of water exiting these cells is going to have and if water exits the cell, the turker pressure that keeps the cell membrane of the plant against the cell wall is going to decrease. If this decreases, the plant is not going to be able to have its leaves extended or just open and the leaves will fall. Because of this, the correct answer is going to be answer choice. D the leaves will fold when the water exits the cells, decreasing the trigger pressure that allow the leaves to be kept open as the final answer to the question. And I really hope this video helped you.