Boquila

Boquila trifoliolata is a unique species of plant because of the ability of its leaves to mimic those of the hosts that are supporting them, a phenomenon called mimetic polymorphism.[8] The B. trifoliolata adapted their climbing behavior to be protected from ground herbivores and the mimicry behavior as a protection against leaf herbivores.[4] B. trifoliolata is distinct in comparison to other plants that can mimic, like the Australian Mistletoe, because it is not limited to mimicking a single host and also is not a parasite to the host tree. An individual B. trifoliolata vine can mimic multiple foliage closest in proximity to it.[9]

Their mimicking behavior was discovered by researchers Ernesto Gianoli and Fernando Carrasco-Urra. They carried out observations and measurements in a rainforest located at Puyehue National Park in southern Chile. They sampled 12 different species of host trees with 45 total individual B. trifoliolata vines that had climbed these trees. The two closest leaves in proximity between a pair of the 45 vine-trees were measured, 11 different traits in total: angle, thickness, petiole length, leaflet petiole length, leaflet angle, maximum width, maximum length, area, perimeter, area/perimeter, and color. Usage of a generalized linear model showed that 9 of the 11 traits demonstrated mimicry by the vine to its host tree. Gianoli et al. also sampled more individuals that were prostrated, that grew on leafless tree trunks, and more individuals that have climbed on the 8 most common host species. To analyze these samples, the researchers used multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). They found that the prostrate individuals were not different from the leafless-host vines, but that they were different for 7 of the 8 common-host vine leaves. They also concluded that the leafless-host vines were different for 6 of the 8 common-host vines.[10]

Currently, there is no known mechanism for how B. trifoliolata is able to mimic host leaves so well, but Gianoli proposes two possible mechanisms. One hypothesis is that volatile organic compounds emitted from host plant leaves induce a phenotypic change in close by B. trifoliolata leaves. By receiving different host signals into its system, it is able to create specific signals and hormones in its tissues to regulate gene transcription of leaf morphology and developmental pathways for leaf differentiation.[11] The other hypothesis is that there could be horizontal gene transfer between the host and B. trifoliolata. A study also by Gianoli et al. indicated that this leaf mimicry led to lower leaf herbivory rates. Climbing vines had no difference in herbivory compared to supporting host tree leaves but had much lower herbivory compared to prostrated, unsupported B. trifoliolata individuals. The highest amount of herbivory was on B. trifoliolata vines that climbed onto leafless hosts.[4]

• Lardizabala, a related species also grown for its fruit