Aquila
Muse
- Joined
- May 30, 2006
- Messages
- 632
Now that it's early Spring in S. California (Winter only lasts about 2 weeks here), weeds are springing up in my garden. Every year I notice that some weeds seem to be very "intelligent", hiding behind the established shrubs and perennials, as though they were trying to gain a foothold in my garden and take over.
I know that this "intelligence" is just an illusion, and the real story is more to do with Natural Selection; weed seeds fall all over my garden and spring up wherever there are satisfactory conditions of moisture, soil and light. But only those weeds which are hidden or camoflaged by established plants escape my eyes, or maybe the eyes of animals who eat them.
One weed is very "intelligent". It is a sort of tall rye-grass, which always hides behind and among the leaves Society Garlic. The leaves look kind of similar, same length and width until you get really close.
Has anyone else noticed this principle and effect?
I know that this "intelligence" is just an illusion, and the real story is more to do with Natural Selection; weed seeds fall all over my garden and spring up wherever there are satisfactory conditions of moisture, soil and light. But only those weeds which are hidden or camoflaged by established plants escape my eyes, or maybe the eyes of animals who eat them.
One weed is very "intelligent". It is a sort of tall rye-grass, which always hides behind and among the leaves Society Garlic. The leaves look kind of similar, same length and width until you get really close.
Has anyone else noticed this principle and effect?