植物只能原地不動、坐以待斃嗎？它們無法移動，也無法思考，更不用說策劃什么計謀了。但事實表明，一些植物可是身懷絕技抑或“老謀深算”的哦。

Nature's Leafy Arsonist1)

For most trees， fire is kind of a bad thing. Nothing burns better than a nice dry hunk2) of wood， and a tree is in no position to stop， drop and roll when you light a fire under it. But the Australian eucalyptus3) tree is not only immune to forest fires， but also actively encourages them.

You see， the eucalyptus itself is designed specifically to be the only tree standing after a fiery4) apocalypse5)—it has stems hidden deep inside its trunks， ready to spring out once the smoke clears. So it basically spends its life throwing around6) gasoline， waiting for a spark.

And we're not exaggerating—eucalyptus contains a kind of oil that is so flammable that the trees can actually explode. The leaf litter from eucalyptus trees is so full of toxic napalm7) that bugs and fungus don't break it down—it just dries out and covers the ground like a super-flammable carpet. If that weren't enough， the trees produce a bluish-gray cloud of evaporated8) gas that can go up like a fireball with one lightning bolt or thoughtlessly discarded cigarette butt.

Think about this the next time you take the shears to that dinosaur-shaped hedge in your backyard: science is discovering that some plants have the ability to summon and command insects like some lesser known X-Men character.

Take the common tomato， for example. If a caterpillar9) is chewing on it， experiments show that the humble tomato can throw up a chemical smoke signal that summons an army of parasitic10) wasps to come fight them off. Tobacco， too， calls for help from nearby predators to fend off the caterpillars of certain hawkmoths11)， leaf bugs and other pests. And just to be clear， it doesn't just randomly send out a chemical dog whistle12) for whatever carnivorous13) bug happens to be in the neighborhood—it actually summons specific predators according to whatever kind of pest it's trying to deal with. Whatever is attacking it， it can summon that particular pest's predator.

Wait. How is that even possible? These are freaking plants; they don't even have the rudimentary14) brains of insects. How do they even know that they're being eaten， much less differentiate between who's eating them?

Scientists believe that plants can sense the digestive substances that the invading insects have in their oral secretions15). Different bug drool16) sets off different chemical alarms， which call out to specific species of vicious wasps or mites or nematodes17)， whatever the job requires.

But it's not just about violence. Plants can also manipulate18) insects for sweet， sweet loving. Orchids19) in particular have had 85 million years to decipher20) the chemical signals that insects employ for communication， and they use these scents to basically trick them into becoming couriers21) for their plant-sperm. For example， many orchids can produce the scent of a female bug in heat. The purpose is to lure the male in and coat him in pollen. However， some orchids， like the Australian tongue orchid， recreate the scent so well that the male bugs end up humping the flower to completion.

The Javan Cucumber Masters the Mechanics of Flight

Sure， lots of plants spread their seeds far and wide using the wind， because it doesn't make sense for a tree to have to share the same patch of ground with multiple generations of offspring. So， the seeds will have some aerodynamic22) shape that lets them float through the air for a while. You've seen them. But all of them will still fall straight down if there's no wind.

Well， the Javan cucumber has crossed that hurdle.

The seeds of the Javan cucumber have wings. Not wing-like protrusions23) that kind of help catch the wind. Not oddly shaped petals that just happen to provide lift. They've developed actual wings that can fly up to 100 meters with absolutely no wind， and much farther if there's a breeze.

The seed moves through the air in the same way as a butterfly flies， utilizing air currents， stalls24)， dips and glides to carry itself for miles. Just a reminder: It is just a seed， and a distant cousin to the Batarang25).

In fact， these seeds fly so well that they were the templates26) for some of the world's first airplanes. Igo Etrich， an Austrian， and one of the pioneers of aviation， based his glider designs on the shape of this family of seeds. Mankind's baby steps along the path of air travel were aided by a plant with wings.

Figs Punish Freeloaders

As you probably already know， plants and insects have a very important relationship. The plant gives out nectar27)， and in return， the insect pollinates28) the plant. But what happens if the bug doesn't live up to29) its side of the bargain? What's the plant going to do about it? File a complaint? Ask him to leave? The bugs pretty much get the sweet end of this deal. They get to eat for free， and maybe they'll deliver some pollen ... if they feel up to it after their nap.

Fig trees don't take that kind of thing lying down. They take it hanging down.

Fig trees have a partnership with a particular wasp called a fig wasp. The wasp needs the plant because it needs food， and it lays its eggs in the fruit. In exchange， the wasp is expected to pollinate that fruit while it's there so the tree can reproduce. Fig trees can't reproduce without the wasps， wasps can't live without the tree. But that brings us back to the old problem: What if a particular wasp just doesn't give a shit30)? He eats the fruit and does whatever he wants， right?

Nope. The fig tree will get back at it31) by murdering its family.

Researchers experimented with this by introducing non-productive wasps (that is， wasps that weren't carrying pollen) to fig fruit. The bugs went about their business and laid eggs. However， most of the time the unpollenated fruit was dropped early， killing the wasp larvae32) within.

That's right—the fig tree was aborting33) the young of the wasps that did not pollinate them. Somehow， the plant knows when there are insects in its individual fruit， and it also knows if they brought pollen with them. And if they don't， then they get evicted34) ... street style.

長滿綠葉的大自然縱火犯

對于大多數(shù)樹木來說，火可是壞東西。什么都沒一大塊干木頭好燒，而且如果你在一棵樹下放火，這棵樹毫無辦法，它既不能阻止你，也不能撲倒在地，滿地打滾。但是澳大利亞的桉樹不僅不怕森林大火，甚至還會火上澆油。

你知道嗎，桉樹是造物主特意設(shè)計的唯一能在一場大火災(zāi)之后還能傲然挺立的樹種。在它的樹干深處隱藏著一些莖干，一旦大火熄滅、煙霧散去，它便會發(fā)出新芽。因而可以說桉樹的一生基本上都在到處“噴”油，等待火花光臨。

我們這樣說毫不夸張，因為桉樹含有一種非常易燃的油，一旦著火，真會發(fā)生爆炸。桉樹的落葉層上充滿了有毒的凝固汽油，任何昆蟲和菌類都無法將它分解——它只能慢慢干枯，像張超級易燃的地毯一樣蓋在地面上。如果這還不夠火力，桉樹還會產(chǎn)生一種藍灰色的濃縮汽油霧氣，這種霧氣一旦被閃電擊中或是遇到隨意丟棄的煙頭，便會像火球一樣沖天而起。

對昆蟲發(fā)號施令的植物

下次當(dāng)你拿著大剪刀到后院去修剪那恐龍形狀的樹籬時，不妨想一想：科學(xué)已發(fā)現(xiàn)一些植物具有召喚和命令昆蟲的能力，就像那些不大為人所知的X戰(zhàn)警一樣。

就拿普通的西紅柿來說吧。實驗證明，當(dāng)有毛毛蟲咬它的時候，不起眼的西紅柿?xí)尫乓环N化學(xué)煙霧信號，這種信號會召來一大批寄生蜂，將毛毛蟲趕走。煙草也是如此，它們會向身邊其他的捕食者求助，來趕走某種天蛾的幼蟲、葉蟲和其他害蟲。需要說明的是，它并非隨意發(fā)出某種化學(xué)“狗哨”來召喚任何碰巧就在附近的食肉昆蟲。事實上，它會根據(jù)需要對付的害蟲種類，召喚特定的捕食者。不管什么害蟲來襲，它都能召喚到這種害蟲的天敵。

慢著，這怎么可能呢？這只不過是些植物而已，它們甚至連像昆蟲那樣簡單的大腦都沒有。它們怎么會知道有害蟲在吃它們，更別說知道是哪種害蟲在吃它們？

科學(xué)家們認為，植物可以感知到入侵昆蟲口腔分泌物中的某些消化物質(zhì)。不同的昆蟲口腔分泌物會激發(fā)不同的化學(xué)警報，從而召喚特定種類的兇猛黃蜂、螨蟲、線蟲，任何該任務(wù)所需的捕食者都可以召來。

不過這些植物能駕馭的不僅僅是“以暴制暴”。植物還可以巧妙地操控昆蟲，獲得甜蜜的愛情。特別是蘭花，它用了長達8500萬年的時間破解了昆蟲之間交流所用的化學(xué)信號，因此，蘭花就利用這些氣味來引誘昆蟲，從而使昆蟲成為它們傳播花粉的使者。比方說，許多蘭花可以發(fā)出一種雌性昆蟲發(fā)情期的氣味，目的是引誘雄性昆蟲為它們傳播花粉。不過，有些蘭花，比如澳大利亞的舌蘭，它偽造的氣味太過逼真，結(jié)果雄性昆蟲們把它當(dāng)成異性，求之愛之。

飛行力學(xué)專家爪哇黃瓜

毫無疑問，許多植物都會借助風(fēng)力將種子撒播到四面八方，因為一棵樹和它眾多的子孫后代搶同一塊地生長實在是沒道理。因此，它們的種子都會擁有符合空氣動力學(xué)的外形，以便能在空中飛上一會兒。你肯定見過這樣的種子。但是如果沒有風(fēng)的話，它們?nèi)烤椭荒軓街甭湓诘厣狭恕?/p>

不過，爪哇黃瓜卻已攻克了這一難題。

爪哇黃瓜的種子長有翅膀，但不是那種形似羽翼、可借助風(fēng)力的突起，也不是那種奇形怪狀、碰巧具有提升功能的翼瓣。它們已進化出真實的翅膀，可以在毫無風(fēng)力的狀態(tài)下最遠飛行100米，如果稍微有點兒風(fēng)，則飛得更遠。

這種種子可以像蝴蝶那樣在風(fēng)中飛翔，利用氣流時而停步，時而俯沖，時而滑翔，能飛數(shù)英里。別忘了，它只是一顆種子，卻能像蝙蝠俠的飛鏢一樣飛行自如。

事實是，這些種子擁有如此優(yōu)秀的飛行能力，以至于世界上最早的一些飛行器都以它們?yōu)槟０?。奧地利航空領(lǐng)域的一位先驅(qū)——伊戈·埃特里希，就是根據(jù)這種種子的形狀設(shè)計出了他的滑翔機。人類在航空旅行的路途上蹣跚學(xué)步之時，就得到了帶翅植物的指引。

嚴懲白吃者的無花果

也許大家都知道植物與昆蟲之間的關(guān)系非同尋常。植物提供花蜜，昆蟲為其授粉作為回報。但是如果昆蟲沒有履行替植物授粉的職責(zé)，會怎么樣呢？植物會采取什么措施？投訴？驅(qū)趕？絕大多數(shù)時候，最終都是昆蟲占了便宜。它們開始白吃白喝，也許在打完盹兒養(yǎng)好精神時，才會傳播一些花粉吧。

無花果樹才不會忍受如此不公，它們會奮起反抗。

無花果樹和一種名叫無花果小蜂的昆蟲是合作伙伴。這種小蜂離不開無花果樹，因為它需要食物，并且需要在無花果果實中產(chǎn)卵。作為交換條件，無花果小蜂在無花果樹上時，按理應(yīng)給它產(chǎn)卵用的那顆無花果授粉，以幫助無花果樹結(jié)出果實。沒有小蜂，無花果樹就無法結(jié)出果實，而沒有無花果樹，小蜂就無法生存。但這又回到了原先的老問題：要是有那么一只小蜂不睬它怎么辦？吃完果子后，它就我行我素，那可怎么辦呢？

沒門兒！無花果樹會殺死它一家，以此作為報復(fù)。

研究人員曾做過這樣的實驗，將不勞作的小蜂(即不攜帶花粉的小蜂)放到無花果樹上。它們在樹上忙活著自己的事情，并在無花果內(nèi)產(chǎn)卵。然而，那些沒被授粉的無花果果實大多數(shù)會提前掉落，將果實內(nèi)的小蜂幼蟲殺死。

沒錯！無花果樹就是用這種方式來殺死那些沒有給它們授粉的小蜂的后代。不知什么原因，無花果樹就是知道哪些果實里有昆蟲，也知道這些昆蟲是否帶有花粉。如果沒帶花粉的話，它們就會慘遭驅(qū)逐，大街上涼快去吧您吶。

1.arsonist [#712;ɑ#720;s#601;n#618;st] n. 放火犯，縱火犯

2.hunk [h#652;#331;k] n. 大塊，大片；厚塊

3.eucalyptus [#716;ju#720;k#601;#712;l#618;pt#601;s] n. 桉(樹)屬植物

4.fiery [#712;fa#618;#601;ri] adj. 含火的；火焰的；燃燒著的

5.apocalypse [#601;#712;p#594;k#601;l#618;ps] n. 大動亂，大災(zāi)變

6.throw around: 亂丟，亂扔

7.napalm [#712;ne#618;pɑ#720;m] n. 凝固汽油

8.evaporate [#618;#712;vaelig;p#601;re#618;t] v. (使)蒸發(fā)；(使)揮發(fā)

9.caterpillar [#712;kaelig;t#601;p#618;l#601;(r)] n. 【昆】毛蟲，蟲蜀(鱗翅目昆蟲如蝶、蛾等的幼蟲)

10.parasitic [#716;paelig;r#601;#712;s#618;t#618;k] adj. 寄生的；寄生生物(似)的

11.hawkmoth [#712;h#596;#720;km#594;θ] n. 【昆】天蛾

12.dog whistle: 狗哨，即超音波狗笛，是訓(xùn)練狗的工具，其哨聲是人耳無法聽到的。

13.carnivorous [kɑ#720;#712;n#618;v#601;r#601;s] adj. 食蟲的

14.rudimentary [#716;ru#720;d#618;#712;mentri] adj. 基本的；尚未發(fā)展完全的

15.secretion [s#618;#712;kri#720;#643;n] n. 【生理】分泌物

16.drool [dru#720;l] n. 口水

17.nematode [#712;nem#601;t#601;#650;d] n. 【動】線蟲

18.manipulate [m#601;#712;n#618;pjule#618;t] vt. (尤指用權(quán)勢或不正當(dāng)手段)操縱；控制

19.orchid [#712;#596;#720;k#618;d] n. 【植】蘭科；蘭花

20.decipher [d#618;#712;sa#618;f#601;(r)] vt. 解釋(古代文字、難以理解的事物等)

21.courier [#712;k#650;ri#601;(r)] n. (遞送急件、外交信件的)信使

22.aerodynamic [#716;e#601;r#601;#650;da#618;#712;naelig;m#618;k] adj. 空氣動力學(xué)的

23.protrusion [pr#601;#712;tru#720;#658;n] n. 伸出，突出

24.stall [st#596;#720;l] vi. (發(fā)動機)熄火；(汽車)拋錨；(飛機等)失速

25.Batarang: 蝙蝠俠飛鏢，不能殺人，只能將人擊暈。

26.template [#712;temple#618;t] n. 【生化】模板

27.nectar [#712;nekt#601;(r)] n. 【植】花蜜

28.pollinate [#712;p#594;l#601;ne#618;t] vt. 【植】給……傳授花粉

29.live up to: 遵循；履行

30.not give a shit: 毫不介意

31.get back at sb.: <口> 向某人進行報復(fù)

32.larva [#712;lɑ#720;(r)v#601;] n. 【動】幼蟲；幼體

33.abort [#601;#712;b#596;#720;(r)t] vt. 使流產(chǎn)；墮(胎)

34.evict [#618;#712;v#618;kt] vt. 驅(qū)逐；逐出(佃戶、房客等)