waving leaf/plant

i was on my way up to the summit of bukit timah when i came across this phenomenon - a waving plant, or rather a waving leaf. the rest of the leaves were static but this particular one was waving like a pendulum. i stood there for a full ten minutes studying it closely but there was no wavering of its movements. it continued to 'wave' at the same speed, not slowing down a bit at all.

i tried taking some pictures but the images were blur because of the 'waving'. next, i tried using the flash to capture the actions but it was not possible to capture the 'wave'. later, as i was making my descent, i met my fellow retirees. i told them about the waving leaf. when we went back to the spot, it was still waving. my friend, a former science teacher, figured it could be the draught blowing against the leaf that caused it to sway from side to side.

when we looked around the area, we spotted a few other leaves exhibiting similar movements, though not as vigorous as this particular one.

if you look at the three pictures carefully, you will realise that the elongated leaf with a brown patch on it shifts its position in relation to the other leaves. in the first picture, it is partially hidden by the longer leaf. in the second picture, it appears right in the middle of the photograph and in the last picture, it has shifted to the left.

this morning, i went again, to check on the waving leaf...and it was still at it. other leaves sway in the wind but this one is different. its movement seems to be mechanical and the wave is a wide one.

if you want to avoid the fumes from the mini buses and trucks that use the road to the summit, time you walk before 8.30 a.m. or after 9.30 a.m. also avoid the 11.30 a.m. to 12 noon slot because during this period, there is one vehicle making the downhill trip.