Figure 2.
Snap-buckling of the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). (a) Venus flytrap in its open and closed states, shown in the upper and lower panel, respectively. (b) Computational reconstruction of trap lobe during closure from experimental data. (c) The mean curvature as a function of the dimensionless parameter α = W4κ2/h2. For α < αc. No multistability is predicted when α < αc. When α > αc, the system goes through a region featuring multistability where a ‘snap-through’ motion occurs. (d) Average speed of trap closure as a function of α. Adapted from [11] and [36]. (Online version in colour.)