Organism
Moonflower
TL;DR
The Moonflower is a nocturnal flowering vine that demonstrates extraordinary circadian precision.
The Moonflower is a nocturnal flowering vine that demonstrates extraordinary circadian precision. It opens its white, saucer-shaped petals at precisely 4:00 AM - not 3:00 AM, not 5:00 AM - synchronized across entire populations spanning hundreds of miles. This timing evolved to match hawkmoth activity (4-6 AM), the brief window when night transitions to dawn. The flower closes by 8:00 AM as temperature climbs, conserving energy and protecting reproductive organs from heat damage. It remains closed for 20 hours, achieving 100% of pollination opportunity with only 17% of possible opening time.
Notable Traits of Moonflower
- Opens at precisely 4:00 AM ±15 minutes
- Synchronized across populations spanning hundreds of miles
- Continues rhythm for weeks in constant darkness
- Recalibrates to local time over 5-7 days when transplanted