http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2011/03/orchid-mimics-carrion-to-attract-flies/ Ideas, innovations and discoveries from the world of science Thu, 16 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2011/03/orchid-mimics-carrion-to-attract-flies/comment-page-1/#comment-4517 Drew Sat, 11 Jun 2011 21:40:07 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/?p=5926#comment-4517 One thing that keeps bugging me; how do plants observe? Some plants mimic the color of carrion, and that I can understand even if I can't explain how plants pick up on the color of carrion, or observe flies landing on it. But what boggles my mind is how do plants smell? Where is their olfactory sensory organ that discerns the odor of its surroundings - such as the hyrax's odor, and how does it produce the mimicked odor? If different carrion could attract different flies, could a plant change the odor it produces? One thing that keeps bugging me; how do plants observe? Some plants mimic the color of carrion, and that I can understand even if I can’t explain how plants pick up on the color of carrion, or observe flies landing on it.
But what boggles my mind is how do plants smell? Where is their olfactory sensory organ that discerns the odor of its surroundings – such as the hyrax’s odor, and how does it produce the mimicked odor? If different carrion could attract different flies, could a plant change the odor it produces?

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