The jewelweed (
Impatiens capensis), also known as the spotted touch-me-not. When the seeds mature enough to start a new generation, their pods develop a nastic response and explode, dispersing the seeds in the environment. When the time comes, the cells of the seedpod accumulate and store mechanical energy based on their hydration level. Any external stimuli then overloads the system and the walls separate and quickly coil up on themselves, transferring energy to the seeds and launching them outwards. |
Journal of Experimental Biology[ed. Seen this before but never fails to impress.]
