Shooting Mechanisms in Nature: A Systematic Review
Fig 2
Momentum catapult mechanism in the phylum Basdiomycota (species Auricularia auricular).
(A) The sporogenous cell of Basdiomycota before discharge with the spore attached to the sterigma at the hilum. (B) By secreting osmolytes, Buller’s drop and the adaxial drop grow on the surface of the spore. (C) When Buller’s drop reaches a critical size, the two drops coalesce, generating a compression force on the sterigma. (D) A rapid shift of the joint center of mass of the spore and the coalesced drops puts tension on the hilum. When a critical tensile stress is reached, the hilum breaks and the spore (together with the coalesced drops) is discharged. Drawings based on schematic drawings in [34]. Scale bar 15 micrometer [μm].