[2] Comparative to the sign processing present in animals and humans, phytosemiotics occurs at the cellular level, with communication between the cells of plants acting as a means of observing their surroundings and making rudimentary decisions.
After participating in an experiment involving a subject living in a plant-filled greenhouse, Krampen became interested in the semiotic processing capabilities of plants.
After consulting with the works of Jakob von Uexküll, in particular his 'Theory of Meaning', Krampen further developed this concept and eventually wrote "Phytosemiotics", the first essay covering the topic.
[3] Despite the fundamentally different biological systems that make up animals and plants, there are comparisons to be made in the ways they undergo semiotics.
[2] The lack of ability to process icons[2] due to not having receptor organs[3] makes the semiotics of plants fundamentally different from semiosis in animals.