Plant Mimicry: ‘A Mesmerizing Maneuver’

The kingdom of plants is full of mimics, which has been evolving some very unique and fascinating
tactics to trick predators and competitors. ‘Plant mimicry’, the impressive outcomes of natural
selection; is based on three protagonists, i.e., model, mimic and signal receiver. True mimicry involves
the deception of a signal receiver which is unable to discriminate between the model and the mimic of
a signal. The information on mimicry in plants is surprisingly scattered, largely sketchy and little known
in publications and thus, different classes of plant mimicry are conceptually grouped in this review.
Based on the mimic’s signal to the receiver, it is presented as: (1) Batesian mimicry: the mimic signals
a fitness cost to the receiver and the mimic's signal is deceptive. The advertised costs to the receiver
are greater than the actual costs; (2) Aggressive mimicry: the mimic signals a fitness benefit to the
receiver and the mimic's signal is deceptive. The advertised benefits to the receiver are greater than
the actual benefits; (3) Müllerian mimicry: the mimic signals a fitness cost to the receiver, and the
mimic's signal is non-deceptive; and (4) Rewarding mimicry: the mimic signals a fitness benefit to
manipulate receiver behavior and the mimic's signal is non-deceptive. Further, plants do mimic other
plants, fungi, animals, inanimate objects, reproductive parts etc. So, in this paper, a catalogue of
different fascinating-named mimicry has been portrayed as well on the basis of which object is being
mimicked by plants.