Plant Movements - Types and Examples

Thigmonasty or seismonasty is the nastic response of a plant or fungus to touch or vibration. Examples are many species in the leguminous subfamily, Mimosoideae, active carnivorous such as Dionaea and a wide range of pollination mechanisms.

External stimulus induces tropic, nastic and tactic movements.

1. Tropic movement - biological phenomenon indicating growth or turning movement of a plant, in response to an external stimuli.
2. Nastic movements - Non-directional responses in response to external stimulus
3. Tactic movements - It includes phototactic, chemotactic and thermotactic movements.
   

Nastic movements are non-directional movements in which direction of response or movement is determined by the structure of responsive region. Nastic movement for instance, could be due to changes in the turgor pressure.

Seismonasty is defined as the nastic movement in response to shock, especially rapid folding of te leaflets of the sensitive plant due to changes in turgor pressure caused by vibration. It is also called as thigmonasty, because the external stimuli is touch.

Photonasty - the tendency in certain plant species to respond to light by developing sufficient cellular force or growth on one side of an axis to change the form or position of the axis, as in the opening and closing of the flowers of four-o'-clocks.

Haptonasty or thigmonasty is the non-directional movement of a plant part in response to the touch of an object. The closing of the lamina of Venus fly trap is a type of haptonasty as a result of contact with an insect. If an insect happens to cross the lamina, the leaf will close quickly to prevent its escape. 

Nastic movements are responses of plant parts to stimuli. Photonastic movement is the nastic response of plant in response to light. Thermonastic movement is the a nastic response of plant in response to change in temperature. Seismonastic movement is the nastic response of a plant to touch or vibration. Dropping of leaves of Mimosa pudica upon touching is due to seismonasty. Thigmonastic movement is the nastic response of a plant to touch. The movements of tentacles of Drosera when comes in contact with insect is due to thigmonasty.

Nastic movements are responses of plant parts to stimuli. Seismonasty is the nastic response of a plant to touch or vibration. Dropping down of leaves of Mimosa pudica upon touching is due to seismonasty. Nyctinasty is the rhythmic nastic movement of plant in response to the onset of darkness. Chemonasty is the nastic response of a plant to external chemical. 

Nastic movement is the movement shown by plant part in response to environmental stimuli. This movement is repeatable and reversible. Examples include the folding of leaves of Mimosa pudica when touched. The folding and recoiling of leaves of Mimosa pudica in response to touch is called as thigmonastic movement.

In Funaria, 32 peristomial teeth are present. It consists of two sets of long, conical teeth, one within the other. There are 16 teeth in each set. It follows hygroscopic path where moisture is absorbed or attracted from air.

Hygroscopic movement is that, which is caused by changes in moisture content of unevenly thickened cell walls. E.g., elators or the awns of the grains of some grasses. Also hygrometric movement, imbibitional movement.

Nastic movements are non-directional responses to stimuli and are usually associated with plants. The movement can be due to changes in turgor or changes in growth. Nastic movements differ from tropic movements in that the direction of tropic responses depends on the direction of the stimulus, whereas the direction of nastic movements is independent of the stimulus's position.

Nutation is the bending movements executed by some plant organs such as stems, leaves, roots, etc, by which the part is inclined successively in various directions. Nutations are due to unequal rate of growth of different sides of the organ. Nutational movement includes all the movements in plants caused by growth in contrast to variation movements or movements produced by reversible turgor changes.

The definition of photomorphogenesis is any change in form or function of an organism occurring in response to changes in the light environment. Photomorphogenesis is often defined as light-regulated plant development, but there are also changes in morphology and/or cell structure and function, which occur as transient acclimatizations to a changing environment, which are also light regulated.

The free type of movements induced by some external stimuli like light, temperature, chemicals, etc are called as tactic movements. They are of three types: Phototactic, chemotactic and thermotactic.

The movement of chloroplasts in palisade cells in response to light is called as phototactic movement. Phototaxis is the movement of an organism in response to light; that is, the response to variation in light intensity and direction.

Desmodium gyrans is also called as 'Indian telegraph plant' which is a dancing plant. The movement in this plant is called as movement of variation. It is not categorized into nastic or curvature movements.

If the movement of curvature exhibited by plant organs is due to some external stimuli (caused by light, temperature, gravity, foreign bodies, etc), it is called induced movement of curvature. There are several spontaneous movements of curvature like Nastic movements, nutation, etc. Opening of sunflower is due to the light radiation of the sun. So it is an example of photonastic movement. Seismonasty is induced by movement by touch, shock, rain, wind, etc. Example: the leaves of plants Mimosa pudica and M.spegazzinii. All these are included in movement of curvature.

Growth movements are brought about by the unequal growth in different regions of the same organ. If shoot growth occurs at a faster rate alternately on right and left sides of the axis, resulting in a zig-zag axis, the movement is said to be nutation. When the leaves mature in growth and the flower buds open, more rapid growth occurs on the upper surface. This results in unfolding of coiled leaves and opening of the flowers. These are categorised under autonomic movement of growth.

Etiolation is a process in flowering plants grown in partial or complete absence of light. It is characterized by long, weak stems, smaller, sparser leaves due to longer internodes and a pale yellow colour called as chlorosis.  It increases the likelihood that a plant will reach a light source, often from under leaf litter, or shade from competing plants. The growing tips are strongly attracted to light and will elongate towards it.

Vernation is the formation of new leaves or fronds. Circinate vernation is the manner in which a fern frond emerges. As the fern frond is formed, it is tightly curled so that the tender growing tip of the frond is protected within a coil. At this stage it is called a crozier or fiddlehead. As the lower parts of  the frond expand and toughen up, they begin to photosynthesize, supporting the further growth and expansion of the frond. In case of many fronds, long hairs or scales provide additional protection to the growing tips before they are fully uncoiled. Circinate vernation may also be observed in the extension of leaflets, in the compound leaves of Cycads.

Daily movements of plants are a part of circadian rhythms. A circadian rhythm is a biological process that displays an endogenous entrainable oscillation of about 24 hours. These 24-hour rhythms are driven by a circadian clock, and they have been widely observed in plants, animals, fungi and cyanobacteria.

Rapid rotational movement of cytoplasm is due to increase in water content. Cytoplasmic streaming also called as protoplasmic streaming, the movement of the fluid substance within a plant or animal cell. The motion transports nutrients, proteins and organelles within cells. First discovered in the 1830s, the presence of cytoplasmic streaming helped convince biologists that cells were fundamental units of life.

Siesmonasty means a response to shaking. The best example is Mimosa pudica (Touch-me-not plant) which is the sensitive plant. Such, plants respond to stimuli such as touch, blow or mechanical shock by folding their leaflets and lowering their leaves. This effect is caused by a change in the turgidity of the leaflets brought about by the movement of water into and out of the parenchymatous cells of the pulvinus or swollen leaf base.

Turgor growth movements are types of movements brought about by changes in turgor pressure of the cells, causing the movement. These may be divided into two types-
(i) Autonomous or spontaneous and
(ii) Paratonic or induced.
Autonomous turgor movements do not require any stimulus and are observed in the Indian telegraphic plant - Desmodium gyrans. 

Plants do not move and have been evolved for stationary mode of life. However plants show several types of movements. For example, opening of a flower bud is an example of increased growth of the upper surface of a plant part (such as a leaf- vegetative or reproductive/ floral), resulting in a downward bending of the part. This type of movement is called epinasty.

A response of a plant, that causes movement independent of the direction of the stimulus is a nastic response. It is not a growth response, is reversible, and can be repeated many times. 

Plants do not move and have been evolved for stationary mode of life. However, plants show several types of movements. 

Scotopic in general means under low light conditions or night. For example scotopic stomata are stomata open during night and closed during day as against phototropic stomata, which are open during day but closed during night.

Nastic movements are generally observed in leaves, flowers, petals and bud scales. In these structures at some stage of development, growth in one surface is more than the growth on the other surface. There may be two types of such movements: epinasty and hyponasty. If the upper or inner surface has more growth, the movement is called as epinasty. An example for epinasty is the opening up of a flower and the drooping of a bud. In hyponasty, there will be more growth on the lower surface.

Semimonastic movement is the movement caused in response to touch or vibrations. The stimulus from the largely stimulated leaflets travels to other leaflets and their swollen base known as pulvinus. It further activates the leaf rachis and then runs through petiole and finally to the large pulvinus at the end of the petiole, where the leaf attaches to the stem. The potassium ions flows out from the vacuoles of cells in the various pulvini. This allows exit of water from various cells due to loss in turgidity the leaflet closes and the petiole collapses. So, the given statement is true.

Seismonasty is the nastic movement of plants in response to mechanical stimuli like touch or vibration, which is characteristic of Mimosa pudica.

Paratonic or induced turgor movements are turgor movements induced by stimuli, such as light, temperature and contact. These movements are also called as nastic movements and may be of various types, such as
(i) Siesmonasty
(ii) Nyctinasty
Siesmonasty means a response to shaking. The best example is Mimosa pudica ("Touch - me - not" plant) which is the sensitive plant. Such plants respond to stimuli, such as touch, blow or mechanical shock by folding their leaflets and lowering their leaves. This effect is caused by a change in the turgidity of the leaflets brought about by the movement of water into and out of the parenchymatous cells of the pulvinus or swollen leaf base.
Nyctinasty or sleep movements are caused by relative changes in cell size on the opposite sides of the leaf base called pulvinus. The movements are attributed to the amount of auxin, $K^+$ ions and therefore the movement of water. Entry of water to the lower side of the pulvinus causes the leaves to stand erect and the exit of water causes them to droop.

Seismonastic movement is a response to touch or blow. In Mimosa pudica plant, turgor movement is seen in leaflets in response to touch. When it is touched, it begins to fold up and droop. Nyctinastic movement is the response of a plant in response to darkness. In this, plant shows circadian rhythm that function on a 24 hour clock. It is seen in leaves of many legume plants. Thigmonastic movement is the response of a plant to touch or vibration. In Drosera, tentacles bend towards the insect's direction after coming in contact. Chemonastic movement is the response of a plant to chemical stimulus. An example is growth of pollen tube towards embryo sac due to presence of sugar in the style.

Mimosa pudica is well known for its rapid plant movement. Like a number of other plant species, it undergoes changes in leaf orientation termed "sleep" or nyctinastic movement. The foliage closes during darkness and reopens in light. The leaves also close under various other stimuli, such as touching, warming, blowing, or shaking. These types of movements have been termed seismonastic movements. The movement occurs when specific regions of cells lose turgor pressure, which is the force that is applied onto the cell wall by water within the cell vacuoles and other cell contents. When the plant is disturbed, specific regions on the stems are stimulated to release chemicals including potassium ions which force water out of the cell vacuoles and the water diffuses out of the cells, producing a loss of cell pressure and cell collapse; this differential turgidity between different regions of cells results in the closing of the leaflets and the collapse of the leaf petiole.

Answer is option A i.e. "Thigmonasty"
Movement in the leaves of mimosa while you touch is called “nastic” movement. Nastic movements are reversible. It means that after some time plant leaf will comes to its original position. Thigmonasty is the nastic response of a plant to touch or vibration.

Plants exhibit two types of induced movements of curvature. These are namely tropic and nastic movements. The directional growth movements in which direction of growth is determined by the direction of stimulus are known as tropic movements. Examples: thigmotropism, phototropism, chemotropism, gravitropism etc. This makes option A incorrect. The non-directive growth movements of plants, wherein the direction of stimulus is not the determinant of the direction of movement, are known as nastic movements. These movements always occur in one direction. Examples: Seismonasty, photonasty, thermonasty etc. This makes option B correct. Thus, the correct answer is B.

Movements in nyctinasty plants are not related to auxin levels. 

The leaves of Mimosa pudica show seismonasty. Its leaves respond to vibrations when they are touched or shaken. The speed of the response depends on the magnitude of the stimulus. Flicking the leaf hard will cause the leaf to close faster whereas a gentle touch at the tip of a leaf will lead to a slower response. Thus the correct answer is option A.

Any nastic movement in response to touch or contact stimulus is known as thigmonasty. The tentacles of Drosera leaves curve on coming with any insects and thus, the movement is categorised as thigmonasty which makes option C correct. Any nastic movements caused in response to sunlight or temperature stimuli are known as photonastic and thermonastic movements respectively. This makes options A and B incorrect. Nastic movements in response to any mechanical shock, such as blow, shaking or pressure, are known as seismonastic movements. This makes option D incorrect. Correct answer is C.

The leaves of touch-me-not plant show thigmonasty. Its leaves respond to vibrations when they are touched or shaken. The speed of the response depends on the magnitude of the stimulus. Flicking the leaf hard will cause the leaf to close faster whereas a gentle touch at the tip of a leaf will lead to a slower response. Thus the correct answer is option B.

The leaf lamina and apex of pitcher plant form pitcher and lid respectively. The coloured lid and nectar attract the insects which are then drowned into acidic fluid of pitcher present at it bottom. Sitting of insects stimulates the closing of lid of pitcher which makes it an induced/paratonic movement. The vital movements of plant parts which are induced by any external factor (light, temperature, water etc) are known as induced or paratonic movements as opposed to the autonomic/spontaneous movements. Thus, option A is correct. 

Heliotropism, a form of tropism, is the diurnal motion or seasonal motion of plant parts (flowers or leaves) in response to the direction of the sun. The habit of some plants to move in the direction of the sun was already known by the Ancient Greeks.

Thigmonasty is the response of a plant to touch or vibration. The Venus Flytrap an insectivorous plant shows thigmonasty. When an insect lands on its trap, the tentacles present on the two curved lobes of a single leaf, rapidly close. Hence the insect gets trapped and later killed. Thus the correct answer is option C.

Plant in order to flower require a particular day length or light period called photoperiod and response of the plants to photoperiod in terms of flowering is called photoperiodism. Photoperiodism is the response to duration and timing of light and dark periods.

On touching the Mimosa leaves the water concentration inside the plant changes due to which the plant leaves tend to get closed. This movement or response of plant is called seismonastic movement.

Thigmonastic movements occur in some plants in response to tactile stimuli. The movements may be defensive or offensive-response to the touch of an herbivore interested in ingesting the plant or by contrast, in response to the touch of an insect that may serve as a potential meal for a carnivorous plant.

Phototaxis - is a kind of taxis or locomotory movement, that occurs when a whole organism moves towards or away from stimulus of light. It is called positive if the movement is in the direction of increasing light intensity and negative if the direction is opposite
So, the correct answer is 'Phototaxis'

Bulliform cells are large, bubble-shaped epidermal cells present in the leaves of many grasses that lose water and cause the leaves to fold or roll during drought.

Stimulus for flowering will be accepted by young leaves. Apart from light and chemical stimulus for flowering, temperature is also one important stimulus that a lot of plant species use to flower, e.g., some orchid species.

Opening of a bud and drooping of bud are called as epinastic movements. It is well defined as the increased growth of the upper surface of a plant part, such as leaf, resulting in a downward bending of the part.

Seismonasty or thigmonasty is the nastic movement induced in plants where the stimulus is touch. Touch-me-not plant, which has the scientific name as Mimosa pudica is sensitive to touch and is thus called as seismonastic.

The flowers of sunflower open in the morning which is an example of photonasty (regulated by light). Tulip flowers open at high temperature, example of thermonasty (regulated by temperature).

Nastic movements are responses of plant parts to stimuli. Epinasty is the downward bending of a leaf resulting from greater growth of the upper side than of the lower side. Due to more growth on the upper side, the flower will open due to epinasty. The hyponasty is an upward bending of leaves resulting from greater growth of the lower side. Nutation is the bending movements shown by some plant parts due to the unequal rate of growth of different parts of plants. Movement of plant in response to light is called as phototaxis.

Autonomic movement is the spontaneous movement of the protoplasm seen in aquatic plants due to internal stimulus. It is not related to the external stimulus. Movement of cilia and flagella is an example of autonomic movement. A movement shown by a plant part in response to an external factor is called as paratonic movement. In this, the direction of movement is controlled by the direction of the stimulus. Mechanical movements are seen by non-living organs of plants due to hygroscopic changes.

Nastic movements are responses of plant parts to stimuli. Epinasty is the downward bending of a leaf resulting from greater growth of the upper side than of the lower side. Due to more growth on the upper side, the flower will open due to epinasty. The hyponasty is an upward bending of leaves resulting from increased growth on the lower surface.

Tropic movement is growth movement shown by plant in response to a unidirectional external stimulus. Leaves and leaflets shows nyctinastic movement, that is movement in night or in dark. This is also called as sleep movement. In this, the leaves become vertical during night. This is growth movement. Leaf shows daily rhythmic movement due to differential growth of upper and lower halves of the petiole. It is seen in papaya and balsam. 

A movement shown by a plant part in response to an external factor is called as paratonic movement. In this, the direction of movement is controlled by the direction of the stimulus. Autonomic movement is the spontaneous movement of the protoplasm seen in aquatic plants due to internal factors. Growth of plant in response to the current of water is called as rheotropism.

Nastic movements are responses of plant parts to stimuli. Nyctinasty is the rhythmic nastic movement of plant in response to the onset of darkness. Drooping of legume leaves in dark is due to nyctinasty. Seismonastiy is the nastic response of a plant to touch or vibration. Dropping of leaves of Mimosa pudica upon touching is due to seismonasty. 

Nastic movements are responses of plant parts to stimuli. Thermonasty is the a nastic response of plant in response to change in temperature. Thigmonasty or seismonasty is the nastic response of a plant to touch or vibration. Shock movements of leaves of Mimosa pudica leads to dropping of leaves due to seismonasty. Chemonasty is the nastic response of a plant to external chemical. 

Nastic movements are responses of plant parts to stimuli. Epinasty is the downward bending of a leaf resulting from greater growth of the upper side than of the lower side. Due to more growth on the upper side, the flower will open. The hyponasty is an upward bending or uncoiling of leaves resulting from greater growth of the lower side. Due to more growth on the lower side, the flower will close. Tactic movements are response of plant parts to external stimuli like light, chemicals. Tropic movements are response of plant parts to external stimuli like gravity, light, touch. Nutation is the bending movements shown by some plant parts due to the unequal rate of growth of different parts of plants. 

Nastic movements are responses of plant parts to stimuli. Epinasty is the downward bending of a leaf resulting from greater growth of the upper side than of the lower side. Due to more growth on the upper side, the flower will open as a result of epinasty. The hyponasty is an upward bending or uncoiling of leaves resulting from greater growth of the lower side. Circinate ptyxis is found only in fern leaves due to hypoasty. Nutation is the bending movements shown by some plant parts due to the unequal rate of growth of different parts of plants. 

Nastic movements are responses of plant parts to stimuli. Epinasty is the downward bending or drooping of a bud resulting from greater growth of the upper side than of the lower side. Due to more growth on the upper side, the flower will open as a result of epinasty. The hyponasty is an upward bending or uncoiling of leaves resulting from greater growth of the lower side. 

Nastic movements are responses of plant parts to stimuli. Seismonastiy is the nastic response of a plant to touch or vibration. Dropping of leaves of Mimosa pudica upon touching is due to seismonasty. Thigmonasty is the nastic response of a plant to touch. The movements of tentacles of Drosera when comes in contact with insect is due to thigmonasty. Nutation is the bending movements shown by some plant parts due to the unequal rate of growth of different parts of plants.  

Nastic movements are responses to plant parts to stimuli. Epinasty is the downward bending or drooping of a bud resulting from the greater growth of the upper side than of the lower side. Due to more growth on the upper side, the flower will open as a result of epinasty. The hyponasty is an upward bending or uncoiling of leaves resulting from the greater growth of the lower side. Due to more growth on the lower side, the flower will remain closed as a result of hyponasty.

Nyctinasty is the rhythmic nastic movement shown by plant in response to onset of darkness. Chemonasty is the nastic movement shown by plant in response to external chemical stimuli. Antherozoids are attracted towards archegonia in a fern plant due to chemonastic movement. Thigmonasty is the nastic movement shown by plant in response to the touch. Seismonasty is the nastic movement shown by plant in response to the vibration.

Nastic movement is non-directional movement shown by plant part in response to external stimuli. Thermonastic movement is response shown by plant part to high temperature. Photonastic movement is the response to light. Thigmonastic movement is the response to touch. Chemonastic movement is the response to the chemical.

Nastic movements are responses to plant parts to stimuli. Seismonasty is the nastic response of a plant to touch or vibration. Dropping down of leaves of Mimosa pudica upon touching is due to seismonasty. 

Nastic movements are responses to plant parts to stimuli. Thermonasty is nastic movement shown by the plant in response to high temperature. Photonasty is nastic movement shown by the plant in response to light. Hydronasty is nastic movement shown by the plant in response to water current. Thigmonasty is nastic movement shown by the plant in response to touch or vibration. Opening and closing of tulip flower is thermonastic movement. Sunflower shows photonastic movement. Thus, the correct answer is option A.

Nyctinastic movement is the rhythmic nastic movement of plant in response to the onset of darkness. It is also called as sleep movement. Drooping of legume leaves in dark is due to nyctinasty. Mimosa pudica shows nyctinastic movement. 

Photonasty is the nastic movement shown by plant part in response to light. Thermonasty is the nastic movement shown by plant part in response to high temperature. Seismonasty is the nastic movement shown by plant part in response to touch. The response of plants due to reversible turgor change in pulvinus as a result of touch is due to seismonasty. Chemonasty is the nastic movement shown by plant part in response to the chemical.

When the marginal glandular hair of Drosera leaf comes in contact with the insect body, they show thigmonastic (haptonastic) movement. It is the nastic movement (paratonic variation movement) determined by the external stimulus of touch or contact but the direction of movement is prefixed, determined by the structure of the responsive organ. Thus the correct answer is option C.

Auxin exhibits polar transport in plants - moving from morphological apex toward base. This is a unique, directional transport mediated by PIN proteins and auxin influx carriers. The phrase 'in Volvos' appears to be a typo (should be 'i.e.' or 'in vivo'). Option A correctly describes the basipetal (apex to base) polar auxin transport pattern in stems.

• Touch me not shows nastic movement.
• Nastic movements are plant movements that occur in response to environmental stimuli. But unlike tropic movements, the direction of the response is not dependent on the direction of the stimulus. Some of the most spectacular plant movements are nastic movements. 
  

Drosera also known as Sundew is one of the largest carnivorous plants. They capture and digest insects which they eat to supplement the poor mineral nutrition that they obtain from the soil in which they grow. They bear glandular tentacles which they use in capturing prey. The tentacles being extremely sensitive bend towards the centre of the leaf so as to bring the insect close to their glands. Since this bending takes place in response to the touch brought about by the insect, it is a type of thigmonasty

Aerotaxis - Movement of an organism, toward or away from air or oxygen.
Thermotaxis - Movement of an organism towards or away from a source of heat.
Rheotaxis - Movement of an organism in response to a current of water or air.
Galvanotaxis - a taxis in which a direct electric current is the orienting stimulus.

Thigmonasty is the response of a plant to touch or vibration. In Drosera, tentacles bend towards the insect's direction after coming in contact. Seismonasty is a response to touch or blow. In Mimosa pudica, turgor movement is seen in leaflets in response to touch. Epinasty is the movement due to greater growth of the upper or inner surface. An example of epinasty is opening of flower and downward dropping of bud. Chemotropism is the response of a plant to chemical stimulus. An example of chemotropism is growth of pollen tube towards embryo sac due to presence of sugar in the style.

The dropping of leaves of Mimosa pudica shows thigmonastic movement upon touching. This dropping is due to the action potential which travels through the plant. The stimulus travels in the form of signaling molecules and hormones. These includes intracellular calcium, reactive oxygen species, ethylene hormone.

Autonomic movement is the spontaneous movement of the protoplasm due to internal stimulus. Autonomic movement of variation takes place due to changes in the turgidity of cells. The leaves of Desmodium gyrans shows jerky lateral movement due to turgor change which results in the alteration of osmotic content. A movement shown by a plant part in response to an external factor is called as paratonic movement. 

Movement of plant in response to heat is called as thermotaxis. Movement of plant in response to a touch stimulus is called as thigmotaxis. Example include zoospore in Oedogonium. Movement of plant in response to external chemical is called as chemotaxis. Movement of plant in response to light is called as phototaxis. Chlamydomonas shows phototactic movement. 

Cyclosis is also called as cytoplasmic streaming. It is the directed movement of cytosol and organelles. Rotational cyclosis is seen in Hydrilla. Sperm movement is induced by the change in intracellular ion concentration. Sperm motility is also induced by sucrose. Flagella is a locomotory organ that is seen in slime mould along with fungi, protozoan, etc. Slime mould shows flagellar movement. Chlamydomonas move towards the light.

Thigmonastic movement is the nastic or nondirectional movement shown by plant part in response to the touch or vibration. Plants like Mimosa and Albizzia shows thigmonastic movement. Oxalis shows photonastic movement. Drosera shows haptonastic movement.