Do woody vines use gelatinous fibers to climb?

Summary Many plant movements are facilitated by contractile cells called gelatinous fibers (G‐fibers), but how G‐fibers function in the climbing movements of woody vines remains underexplored. In this Insight, we compare the presence and distribution of G‐fibers in the stems of stem‐twiners, which wrap around supports, with non‐stem‐twiners, which attach to supports via tendrils or adventitious roots. An examination of 164 species spanning the vascular plant phylogeny reveals that G‐fibers are common in stem‐twiners but scarce in non‐stem‐twiners, suggesting that G‐fibers are preferentially formed in the organ responsible for movement. When present, G‐fibers are in the xylem, phloem, pericycle, and/or cortex. We discuss the hypothesis that G‐fibers are foundational to plant movement and highlight research opportunities concerning G‐fiber development and function.