Invasion interestingness
So I have been working out in HMF, and there are a ton of invasive plants there (as some of you may know). Lonicera japonica, Japanese honeysuckle, is a pretty big pest there (along with a ton of other things, but im not getting into that right now). Normally the leaves are round and opposite, growing along the vine. however when the plant is young, the first leaves will mimic those of white oak!
Why and how on earth can it do that? I don't believe it is an anti-grazing mechanism, because i don't know of anything that eats it (besides birds eating the berries), and if it IS anti-grazing, then that means that the grazing animals know what oak leaves (which in real oaks are full of bad tasting tannins, so....) look like, which is amazing in and of itself.
Anyone have another theory?
Why and how on earth can it do that? I don't believe it is an anti-grazing mechanism, because i don't know of anything that eats it (besides birds eating the berries), and if it IS anti-grazing, then that means that the grazing animals know what oak leaves (which in real oaks are full of bad tasting tannins, so....) look like, which is amazing in and of itself.
Anyone have another theory?