Complex Plant Systems: Rooted in God's Genius by Frank Sherwin,
M.A. * There are at least a half-million species of plants in
the world. Although they do not contain living souls,1 plants
nevertheless display incredible design features and complex
interactions with other plants and insects. Plants have immune
systems that seem to be every bit as biochemically complex as
those in vertebrates. Botanists have discovered that a plant can
distinguish a nematode (tiny parasitic roundworm) from a virus,
actively resist a penetrating mold, and produce odors to defend
itself against a feeding caterpillar.2 Indeed, the Creator has
designed plants with chemical detectors that are precise enough
to discern between a beetle and a caterpillar. Plant resistance
is a whole new field (so to speak) of botany that has bloomed in
recent decades. Fascinating discoveries include proteins
produced by plants that are toxic to invading microbes, and
toxic soap-like compounds called saponins that are designed to
resist plant pathogens