It might sound a silly question, but let me relate a phenomenon I have frequently seen, and you can judge.
Wherever I go in the world, I like to visit the local Botanical Garden. Sometimes these are outside, or in a walled protected area, or in a giant greenhouse, depending on location and circumstances.
The actual phenomenon requires a little imagination. Picture a plant with, say, 6 inch to 12 inch leaves, in a greenhouse where there is no possibility of wind, situated amongst other plants. Indeed, some of the other plants might overhang the plant in question. Thus, the target plant is surrounded by others that would also move if there was an air current. But the target plant will start to wave a leaf, whilst all other plants are quite motionless, and the other leaves on the same plant are motionless too. This can be an extreme motion - an enormous amplitude given the situation. It is almost as if one leaf is behaving as in a gale, whilst the others are totally still. I have watched this happen for as long as 10 minutes. Sometimes, I continue my visit, and come back later to find it is still occurring. Sometimes one leaf will stop, and another will start.
I have seen this phenomenon in South East Asia, Europe and America. It doesn't seem to matter which plant it is either, as long as the leaves are physically capable of free and easy movement.
I speculated that an insect might be causing it, but on the few plants I could get close enough for a good view, there appeared to be no insect present. I thought perhaps a spider might be pulling on silk attached to the leaf, but could see no such thing. Indeed, it would be a stretch to think that any plant on any continent would be subject to the same kind of leaf-waving spider. No; a more universal solution is required.
Could it be static electricity? Could one leaf become 'preferentially charged' and be trying to equalize its charge with other leaves, or even the air?
At one time, I saw mountains as heaps of rock. Now I know they are fulgamites or similar. At one time, I thought craters were impact craters, because the 'scientists' told me so. Now I know better. I recently read about cells and membranes, and how they seem related to electrical phenomena. Animals detect static, and behave peculiarly before thunderstorms. Members will know that I could go on with many more examples.
Maybe plants have an electrical dimension too. Perhaps some gardening experts out there have the answer? Is there an easy solution that doesn't involve electricity? I readily admit I might have missed something obvious.
