What is the reason that the dancing grass dances?
The dancing grass is the only plant in nature that can react to sound. It is also known as lover grass, passionate grass, courtship grass, etc. It is an upright small shrub of the genus Codariocalyx in the Fabaceae family. Its unique feature is that when stimulated by sound waves in sunlight, it continuously swings up and down, like a butterfly gently dancing its wings in flight, and also like a young girl on stage gently stretching her jade-like arms, which is how it got its name. Let us take a look below at why the dancing grass dances!
Why does the dancing grass dance?
The dancing grass is the only plant in nature that can react to sound. According to scientific research, the reason it dances is mainly related to temperature, sunlight, and sound wave induction under a certain rhythm, cadence, and intensity. Whenever the sun shines and the temperature rises, the water in the plant evaporates faster, the sponge tissue expands, and the small leaflets swing left and right. Moreover, the dancing grass has sound perception. When oscillated by singing at a volume of 35 to 40 decibels, the sponge tissue also contracts, driving the small leaflets to dance gracefully. In addition, when the outside temperature reaches above 20C, the lateral leaflets of the dancing grass begin to rotate. When the temperature rises above 30 degrees C, the rotation becomes most active, and the speed also increases greatly.
What is the flower language of the dancing grass?
The flower language of the dancing grass ishappiness, perfect love. On both sides of the leaves of the dancing grass grow a large number of linear small leaflets, which are very sensitive to sound waves. When the temperature is not lower than 22°C, especially in sunlight, when stimulated by sound waves, it continuously swings up and down, like a butterfly gently dancing its wings in flight, and also like a young girl on stage gently stretching her jade-like arms, hence its name. It is distributed in Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Taiwan, China, and is also distributed in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other places.
What uses does the dancing grass have?
1. Ornamental value: The leaves of the dancing grass have the characteristic of dancing naturally. It dances when there is light and rests when there is no light. It is an excellent material for making bonsai and is often used in horticultural appreciation. Its ornamental value is extremely high.
2. Medicinal value: The dancing grass has medicinal and health-care value. The whole plant can be used as medicine. It has the effects of removing blood stasis and promoting tissue regeneration, and relaxing muscles and stimulating circulation. The leaves can treat fractures, and the branches and stems can be soaked in wine and taken orally, which can strengthen muscles and bones and treat rheumatic bone pain.
3. Scientific research value: The dancing grass is the only plant in nature that can react to sound. The reason it dances is mainly related to temperature, sunlight, and sound wave induction under a certain rhythm, cadence, and intensity.
The story and legend of the dancing grass
In ancient times, in Xishuangbanna there was a beautiful and kind Dai ethnic farm girl named Duoyi. She was born with a great love for dancing and had outstanding dancing skills. She often toured various ethnic villages in her spare time from farming and performed dances for the poor common people. Her graceful figure, dancing lightly, was like a golden peacock drinking and playing by a forest spring, and also like a crane flying freely over the fields. Everyone who watched her dance could not help but be intoxicated, forgetting sorrow, forgetting pain, and even forgetting themselves. As time went by, Duoyi's fame gradually rose and spread far and wide.
Later, a hateful local chieftain led many servants and forcibly abducted Duoyi to his home, demanding that Duoyi dance for him every day. Duoyi refused to submit even unto death and resisted with her life. When the guards were not paying attention, she escaped, jumped into the Lancang River, and drowned. Many poor common people spontaneously organized to retrieve Duoyi's body and held a grand funeral for her. Later, a beautiful small grass grew on Duoyi's grave. Whenever music played, it danced to the rhythm, and people all called it “dancing grass” and regarded it as the incarnation of Duoyi.