http://moduleblog.nus.edu.sg/blogs/lsm3261/archive/tags/Bamboo+botany/default.aspxTags: Bamboo botanyenCommunityServer 2.1 SP2 (Build: 61129.2)http://moduleblog.nus.edu.sg/blogs/lsm3261/archive/2007/10/11/buluh-perindu-bamboo-of-yearning.aspxThu, 11 Oct 2007 03:27:00 GMTe49c60f1-e4eb-4cbb-ba94-e245dcbf35fa:9080TAN TIANG WAH, HUGH1http://moduleblog.nus.edu.sg/blogs/lsm3261/comments/9080.aspxhttp://moduleblog.nus.edu.sg/blogs/lsm3261/commentrss.aspx?PostID=9080<p> <object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E6yNHb6iHeA"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E6yNHb6iHeA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="350" width="425"></object><br>"Pengujian Buluh Perindu." Uploaded by manigajah, 12 Sep 2006. </p> <p>Dear Students: </p> <p>A Shinmin Daily reporter visited me yesterday to interview me about <em>buluh perindu</em> ("bamboo of yearning"). This video from YouTube shows a thin piece of bamboo (probably lamina) coiling and uncoiling, i.e., moving on its own! Malay folklore has it that this bamboo is credited with magical properties to attract members of the opposite sex, the symbolism coming from two such pieces placed together wrapping around each other. Can you guys suggest how this comes about? (Hint: This is not magic, so well within the realm of the natural world. It has got something to do with the amount of moisture in the cell walls.) </p> <p>Cheers!</p> <p>Assoc. Prof. Hugh Tan</p><img src="http://moduleblog.nus.edu.sg/aggbug.aspx?PostID=9080" width="1" height="1">Bamboo botany