Hou Zhao-Bang, Zhang Jun-Duo, Li Yun-Da, Jia Yong-Xia, Huang Wei-Xi
Xingjian College, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Commun Eng. 2025 Jul 18;4(1):129. doi: 10.1038/s44172-025-00465-8.
Samaras, or wing seeds, feature fibrous appendages that act as wings to enable wind-driven dispersal. Diversity in morphologies and structures subtly contributes to the flight patterns of various seeds, thereby serving as a key factor in the reproductive strategies of plants. To explore the mechanisms underlying various samara flight behaviors, we proposed an effective framework by manipulating the mass distribution on a plate to mimic various three-dimensional descent behaviors of samaras. Through this approach, we experimentally identified and characterized four distinct flight modes. The three-dimensional vortical structures were then numerically analyzed to gain insights into the samara-inspired flight behaviors. Our study innovatively demonstrates how strategic mass distribution in samaras leads to diverse flight behaviors that leverage vortices to enhance seed dispersal, offering a fresh perspective for the design of biomimetic fliers.
翅果，即带翼种子，具有纤维状附属物，这些附属物起到翅膀的作用，使种子能够随风传播。形态和结构的多样性微妙地影响着各种种子的飞行模式，从而成为植物繁殖策略的关键因素。为了探究翅果各种飞行行为背后的机制，我们提出了一个有效的框架，通过操纵平板上的质量分布来模拟翅果的各种三维下降行为。通过这种方法，我们通过实验识别并表征了四种不同的飞行模式。然后对三维涡旋结构进行了数值分析，以深入了解受翅果启发的飞行行为。我们的研究创新性地展示了翅果中战略性的质量分布如何导致利用涡旋增强种子传播的多样飞行行为，为仿生飞行器的设计提供了新的视角。
