Sneaky facts about the world's most unique 'Mimic Plant'

Nov16,2023

Native to southern South America, can mimic the leaf shape, size and even color of more than a dozen plant

Boquila Trifoliolata

Scientists have yet to figure out why, exactly, the vine mimics other plants, though it may give them some protection against herbivores like snails and beetles

Mimic for protection?

Mimic leaves showed higher aspect ratio and lower rectangularity and form factor compared to non-mimic leaves

Morphometrical Features

Boquila trifoliolata grows in very wet conditions in the Valdivian temperate rainforest.

Place of growth

The majority of leaves have three lobes with blunted tips. Variation of the number of lobes can be seen with some leaves having multiple lobes and others having less than three.

How to identify

It grows vines that wrap around host plants, mimicking the host's leaves in a phenomenon called mimetic polymorphism

Polymorphism