A huge number of amazing creatures live on earth: from funny to terrifying. Many amazing plants of the world have been known for a long time. But there are completely unusual representatives of the flora that few people know about. Meanwhile, they truly amaze with their appearance. Here are some of them.
The second name is Corpse lily. What makes it the most unusual plant in the world is not only the gigantic size of the flower, but also the terrible smell that it emits. It’s good that you only have to smell the aroma of rotten meat and fish for two days - this is the flowering period of this amazing plant. Another feature of it is its rare flowering. The “corpse lily” lives for a long time, up to 40 years, and during this time flowers appear on it only 3-4 times. The plant can reach a height of up to 3 meters, and the weight of a large flower is about 75 kilograms. The homeland of Amorphophallus titanica is the forest of Sumatra, where it is now practically exterminated. The plant can be seen in many botanical gardens around the world.
Only the lazy did not write about this amazing predator plant. But no matter how much is said about it, the Venus flytrap amazes with its absolute alienness. One can easily imagine her as an inhabitant of some distant and dangerous planet, inhabited by carnivorous plants. Venus flytrap leaves are an ideal trap for small insects. As soon as the unlucky victim touches the leaf, it slams shut. And the more actively the insect resists, the more it stimulates the growth of plant cells. The edges of the leaf trap grow together and turn into a “stomach”, where the digestion process takes place within 10 days. After this, the trap is again ready to capture the next victim. This unusual predator can be “tamed” - the Venus flytrap is successfully grown at home. Here it is important to follow the rules of care, and then for an amazing carnivorous plant you can see for yourself.
It is one of the most unusual plants in the world due to its tiny size. This aquatic plant subfamily duckweed. The size of the wolffia is negligible - about a millimeter. It blooms very rarely. Meanwhile, in terms of the amount of protein, the plant is not inferior to legumes and can be used for human food.
This beautiful plant also seems to come from other worlds. Unusual flower brought missionaries who saw him in South Africa, an allegory about the savior’s crown of thorns. This is where the second name of one of the most unusual plants in the world came from - passion flower (passion of Christ). Passionflower is a woody climbing vine with more than 500 species.
This is the most amazing and unusual water lily in the world. The diameter of the plant's leaves reaches two meters. They are so large that they can support up to 80 kg. The flowers of this water lily are very beautiful, and Victoria Amazonis is the most popular and unusual plant in greenhouses and botanical gardens.
Another predatory plant, surprising with its unusual appearance, grows mainly in Asia. Climbing high on neighboring trees, this bush-like vine, along with ordinary leaves, has special trapping leaves that take the shape of a jug up to half a meter long. They are painted in bright colors to attract the attention of insects. The upper edge of the jug contains fragrant nectar. The insect, attracted by the smell and color of the plant, crawls inside the jug and rolls down its smooth surface. At the bottom there is a liquid consisting of digestive enzymes and acids - real gastric juice. The inner surface of the trapping leaf is lined with wax scales, which do not allow the prey to escape from the trap. Like the Venus flytrap, Nepenthes takes several days to digest the insect. This is one of the most unusual and impressive plants in the world.
An inedible mushroom native to Europe North America and Australia looks similar small piece cake covered with strawberry syrup. It is not eaten because of its very bitter taste. In addition to its amazing appearance, the mushroom also has beneficial features– its pulp has an antibacterial effect and contains blood thinning substances. Only the young plant looks unusual, the snow-white pulp of which exudes drops of reddish liquid.
White crow, or doll's eyes, is an unusual plant not for the faint of heart. The fruits that appear on it in the second half of summer really most resemble doll's eyes mounted on a branch. The homeland of the white crow is the mountainous regions of North America. The plant is poisonous, but does not pose a mortal danger.
Porcupine Tomato is one of the most unusual plants in the world with huge thorns. This is a Madagascar one and a half meter weed, decorated with beautiful purple flowers. But it is very difficult to pick them, since the leaves of the plant are protected by long poisonous thorns orange color. It was named tomato for its fruits, which look like small tomatoes. Many unusual plants of the world, in the course of evolution, have learned to take the form of other living beings. The flowers of the duck-billed orchid, for example, are very similar to tiny two-centimeter ducks. In this way, the plant attracts insects - male sawflies - for pollination.
Among indoor plants you can find the most amazing and unusual specimens. This is confirmed by living stones that will decorate and diversify the room. They are classified as succulents and therefore quite unpretentious. The main thing is to comply proper care behind them, and one day you will be able to admire how the lithops, which look like small stones, will bloom. This usually occurs in the third year of the plant’s life.
If in the 18th century, when this unusual plant was first described, they knew about airplanes, it would have been called that way. It belongs to succulents and forms a dense interweaving of thread-like shoots. The plant feels great at home and is used for decorative design premises.
Pine trees sterilize the air
The smallest flower in the world
Xerophyta - drought plant
Our planet never ceases to amaze with the diversity of plant and animal species that exist on it, sometimes possessing amazing abilities.
A selection of the most interesting facts about plants:
1. An amazing plant called Ceratonia of the legume family, which has long been cultivated in the Mediterranean, has a curious property - the size of its fruits is always the same (0.2 g), for which they were very valued by jewelers in the old days, but now this measure is called a carat. The scientific name of the genus, by the way, comes from the Greek κεράτιον ( seratiοn), κέρας ( seras) "Horn".
2. Among straight-trunked trees greatest height Australian eucalyptus trees boast a height of 150 meters and sometimes more. A telegraph pole made from the wood of this tree can withstand strong winds, and the root system of the eucalyptus sucks water from the soil with such force that people use these natural pumps to drain swamps.
3. The record holder plant is also titanium arum, the flower of which is the largest and reaches a height of 2.27 meters. Due to the unbearable smell emitted by the plant, titan arum was nicknamed the “corpse flower”: its “aroma” resembles the smell of rotten meat. However, for pollinators - flies and beetles - this smell and bright color are very attractive. IN natural conditions a flower grows in the jungle o. Sumatra. Titan arum blooms once every 20–40 years and blooms for only two days. Only about 150 cases of its flowering have been officially recorded worldwide. A few years ago, visitors to the British botanical garden We became happy witnesses of the flowering of this unique plant.
4. Another famous one big flower- Rafflesia Arnolda (Sumatra island, Kalimantan, Philippines, etc.). Rafflesia Arnolda blooms with single flowers, their diameter is 60-100 cm, and their weight is up to 8 kg. The flower publishes bad smell, reminiscent of the smell of rotting meat, which attracts the main pollinators - flies.
5. In the Amazon basin you can find a plant of the water lily family called Victoria. Its leaves on the surface of the water reach three meters in diameter and can support a weight of up to 30 kg.
6. One of the most interesting facts about plants is that the leaves on their trunks and branches are not arranged randomly, but in a certain sequence, having a certain angle of deviation relative to each other. The size of this angle varies depending on the plant itself. So, for an apricot it is 2/5, for a pear - 3/8, for almonds - 5/13, etc. This arrangement of leaves in accordance with the size of the tree, leaves and growing environment provides them with optimal nutrition, access to light and full growth.
In India there is a plant locally called “fool the stomach”. After eating 1-2 leaves of the kalir-kanda plant, a person feels full for a whole week, although the leaves do not contain valuable nutrients. The ability of the plant to create the illusion of satiety is used in the manufacture of tablets and infusions from the leaves, which are successfully used by people suffering from excess weight.
One of the unusual plants comes from the savannas of the South American country of Paraguay. This is a STEVIA shrub, the leaves of which contain a substance reminiscent of saccharin. It is more than 300 times sweeter than sugar. This plant is already successfully cultivated in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Laos, Spain and light hand Academician N.I. Vavilov in Russia. There are significant cultural plantations in the Belgorod region. Belgorod residents sweeten confectionery products for diabetics with an extract made from stevia.
SUGAR GRASS. Grows in Central America mainly in Mexico. A sweet oily liquid was isolated from its leaves and flowers, which is 1000 times sweeter than sugar. What is especially valuable is that, unlike natural sugar, this substance is completely
harmless to diabetics and not conducive to obesity.
Grows in the African savannah herbaceous plant TOUMATOCUS DANNELIUS. The special substance talin, which is found in its red berries, is 2000 times sweeter than sugar.
An even sweeter plant is the LIANA DIOSCOREPHYLLUM CUMMINISIIA, growing in tropical forests Nigeria and other countries West Africa. Sugar, in comparison with its coral-red berries, due to the content of the substance monellin, seems devoid of taste. Of course, monellin is 3000 times sweeter than sugar!
And the champion among super-sweet plants is the KETEMF shrub, which grows in the tropical forests of West Africa. The world's sweetest substance, toumatin, is obtained from it. It is sweeter than sugar (hard to imagine) 100,000 times! This substance will be sweet even if toumatin is dissolved in a concentration of 10 g per ton of water!
Scientists believe that growing super-sweet plants could revolutionize the world's sugar industry.
The shrub SYNSEPALUM DULCIFIKUM grows in the tropical forests of West Africa.
Its red berries, due to the content of miraculin, have the amazing property of influencing a person’s taste sensations. If you chew a few of these small berries before eating, miracles will begin to happen to the taste: sour lemon will seem sweeter than orange, and sugar will seem bitter. This effect lasts for about an hour, and sometimes more, depending on the amount of fruit eaten.
Local people from Ghana to Zaire, where this plant grows, use its fruit to sweeten sour palm wine.
It is interesting that plants with similar effects are found in Transcaucasia, southern Tajikistan and China. This tree is from the buckthorn family - jujube, also known as unabi or Chinese date. Compotes, jams, pastilles are prepared from them, and stored in dried form.
In 1784, dahlia tubers, unprecedented before, were brought from Mexico to Spain. The Spanish king ordered to jealously guard the secret of the existence of an overseas flower, until in 1805 the German naturalist Alexander Humboldt brought from South America tubers of a Mexican plant “unknown” in Europe for 20 years!
Pine trees sterilize the air
One hectare of pine forest per day is capable of releasing about 5 kg of volatile phytocides into the atmosphere, destroying numerous microorganisms from the air. Therefore, in forests with growing young coniferous trees, regardless of geographical latitude and intimacy settlements, in comparison with other green areas, the air is practically sterile, containing only about 200 - 300 bacteria per 1 cubic meter.
In terms of vitamin C content, walnuts are 8 times higher than black currants and 50 times higher than citrus fruits. The B vitamins they contain help break down pyruvic acid, which accumulates in muscles and causes fatigue. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus claimed that the priests of Ancient Babylon forbade ordinary people to eat walnuts, because it was believed that they had a beneficial effect on mental activity, but common people had no use for this.
The smallest flower in the world
Do you know which plant has the most small flower in the world? At the duckweed! For a long time it was believed that it was an algae, but then they discovered flowers on duckweed. But it is still unknown how the number of these plants in a reservoir doubles in a day - within a few days, duckweed covers the entire surface of the reservoir.
Xerophyta - drought plant
Xerophyta viscosa was named by Antoine Laurent de Jussier (1748-1836) Xerophyta - meaning "drought plant". This rare herbaceous perennial lives on the rocky soils of the Natal province in South Africa, on the peaks of the Drakensberg Mountains, has thread-like curved leaves 60 cm long, and flowers with a diameter of 5-6 cm appear on the plant from November to April. This plant is often called by someone else's name, Vellozia viscosa, but Vellozia is a completely different species. Xerophyta is able to live without water in extreme temperature conditions for a very long time. Researchers at the University of Cape Town are using xerophyte genes to code for the drought-tolerant weeds sanguinalis Digitaria and Thaliana Arbidopsis, and will eventually use xerophyte genes to cultivated plants to increase their resistance to stress.
The largest root system- in plants of arid regions, deserts and semi-deserts.
Their roots penetrate deep into the ground to reach the nearest underground water sources, or extend far in width to use that small quantity precipitation that falls in the desert.
Let's look at a few examples of the length of the roots of desert plants.
Central Asian shrub mimosa -7 m;
Alfalfa sowing - over 15 m;
Camel thorn - more than 20 m.
Which plant holds the record for the largest root? It turns out that this is an apple tree growing in the porous soils of Nebraska in America. Its roots penetrated to a depth of 1068 m! And if you take the entire root and add all its own small roots to it (you get the total length of the root), then its length will be calculated not in meters, but in kilometers. For example, for a 4-month-old winter rye plant it is 619 km. One of the Finnish botanists in 1954 calculated total length roots of a hundred-year-old pine - about 50 km.
DID YOU KNOW?..
That carrots, beets, radishes are also roots, only roots that have changed their appearance because spare ones have been deposited in them nutrients. What caused the roots to grow so wide? Otherwise, these roots are called root vegetables. By the way, root vegetables are the heaviest roots. In November 1978, the Nedelya newspaper reported, for example, about a giant fodder beet grown by a Tajik farmer. Its weight is more than 20 kg!
TRUNK
The largest plants are trees of the genus Eucalyptus, found in Australia. They can reach 130 m in height with a trunk thickness of 10 m (compare: the height of a 10-story building is 30 m).
In size, eucalyptus trees are slightly inferior to mammoth trees - sequoias. The maximum height of these giants of the American continent is judged by measurements made in the last century on a fallen trunk of a unique tree in national park sequoia (USA). This tree, called the “father of forests,” measured 120 m from base to top. Botanists now believe maximum height living specimens of evergreen sequoia are 110 m 33 cm. It was with this accuracy that a specimen was measured in Humboldt Sequoia Park in California. It was discovered in 1964 and received given name"Howard Libby."
Competes successfully with terrestrial plants in size kelp. Her maximum length Some authors estimate it at 300 m, others more modestly - only 70 m. It is possible that such algae, wriggling in the water depths, were mistaken by past sailors for a giant sea serpent, often mentioned in sea legends. The largest trunk in the world is found in the European chestnut tree. This tree grows on Mount Etna in Sicily, according to measurements in 1845 it had a girth of 64 m (about 20.4 m in diameter).
SHEET
In southeast Asia, on the island of Sri Lanka, palm trees from the genus Corypha grow. The blades of the fan-shaped leaves of Corypha reach 8 m in length and 6 m in width. One such sheet can cover half of a volleyball court. They are used to make beautiful and durable umbrellas and painted fans. Corypha is also famous for its inflorescences - they are the largest in the world - 14 m long and 12 m wide.
Even more large leaves near the Brazilian palm tree Raffia Tedigera. On a petiole 4-5 m long, a giant “feather” sways, more than 20 m long and almost 12 m wide. If you place such a leaf vertically on the ground, it will rise higher than a 6-story building. A strong fiber is extracted from the raffia petiole, which is used to make brushes and hats.
DID YOU KNOW?..
That the spines of a cactus are its leaves? She became famous for her large leaves and Victoria Amazonskaya - a relative of our white water lily (water lily). It is because of the unusual
of leaves and this aquatic plant is grown in many botanical gardens different countries. The Victoria leaf will withstand not only small child, but also a schoolchild. He will feel on it just like in a real boat. And some leaves do not go under water with a load of about 50 kg. Moreover, the Victoria sheet does not sink, even when its entire surface is covered with an even layer of sand up to 80 kg. This is how much a tall adult man weighs! The round leaves of Victoria are usually no more than 2 m in diameter, but they are still giants!
Victoria's flowers are also famous. When its buds bloom, it is reported on local radio. It is in the evening that its snow-white flower opens. It is very large, up to 40 cm and smells nice. By morning its petals turn pink and close. The closed flower falls into the water. By the next evening it opens a second time. Now its petals are already painted in lilac-pink tones. During the second night it gradually darkens, and by morning it closes again and goes under water again. Now forever! Few people manage to see such a short-lived Victoria flower!
Velvichia amazing, growing in the deserts of Africa, has only two leaves in its entire life. Its leaves reach a length of 2-3 m. A giant specimen is described with leaves 6 m 20 cm long and 1 m 80 cm wide! Velvichia is famous and interesting for its stump-like stem. The stem can reach 1 m, and according to other sources - 4 m in diameter. This stem gradually grows in thickness over tens and even hundreds of years.
FLOWER
Another giant is Amorphophallus titanica, growing in tropical rain forests. He reached an extraordinary height - 2 m 42 cm! Because of the disgusting smell, workers caring for him wore gas masks and changed their clothes after work.
And now about the smallest flowers. IN central Europe naked hernia is found. This plant is only 5-15 cm tall, and the flower is only 1 mm! But the smallest flowers of duckweed and rootless wolffia (an aquatic plant) are less than 0.5 mm. Despite their microscopic size, duckweed and wolffia cover areas of reservoirs with a continuous green carpet.
FRUIT
Large fruit from the Seychelles palm. Even in ancient times, residents of the western coast of India found unusual nuts brought by the wind (waves), as if sharply pulled in two. They were called Maldivian nuts and for a long time it was even believed that they were the fruits of underwater palm trees that grow on the bottom of the sea. And so in 1743 they opened Seychelles, and on them are palm trees that produce these mysterious nuts. Their size is amazing: diameter 45 cm, weight up to 25 kg.
1. BLOODY TOOTH / HYDNELLUM PECKII
This cute fungus looks like chewed bubble gum, oozing blood and smelling like strawberries. But don’t even think about eating it, because this will be the last “delicacy” you will taste in your life.
The fungus has been known to mankind since 1812 and is considered inedible, i.e. Once upon a time, in dark, dark times, there lived a genius who sacrificed his life for the glory of science in order to warn his descendants against eating this “delicacy.”
In addition to its outstanding external qualities, this abomination has antibacterial properties and contains chemical substances, blood thinners. What can I say, this mushroom may soon become a replacement for penicillin (which, by the way, was derived from a mushroom of the species Penicillium notatum). If you don’t have enough thrills, and you intend to immortalize your name in the annals of history at all costs (the Darwin Award and the title of the dumbest suicide on planet Earth are already in your pocket), then just lick this miracle of nature...
2. DOLL'S EYE
At best, this “beauty” looks like an alien weed, and at worst, like a totem dug into the ground with human eyes planted on it, which a serial killer used to mark the burial place of all his 666 victims.
This unusual plant is called “doll eyes”. There is also a less telling name for this horror - black sheep.
This plant does not have any special features other than its appearance; you can even taste it, then tell us about your feelings.
3. SEA ANEMONE MUSHROOM
Sometimes, contemplating such creations, you begin to think about the sanity of the creator. Of course, there are cases when disgusting things turn out to be quite pleasant in taste and smell... but this is not the case: the mushroom, called the “stinking octopus horn”, not only looks disgusting, but also stinks so much that it’s impossible to describe words.
4. DEVIL'S CLAW
“Devil's claw” is something like the thorns of our burdock, which, being launched by the well-aimed hand of your best friend, have more than once become entangled in your hair. The main difference between these two stickies is in appearance: if burdock thorns are small, cute lumps that just beg to be picked up, then the devil's claw is more like an evil man-eating spider that is just waiting to grab your throat.
Once upon a time, these demonic things were “found” only in Arizona, where the indigenous Americans (Indians) wove terrifying-looking baskets from them and laid out entire “minefields” with them, which enemies preferred to avoid. Today, “demonic claws” have already completely occupied the entire Northwestern United States. I feel that this abomination will soon reach Mother Russia, so if you don’t want to fall victim to the “devil’s claw,” then start stocking up on Roundup and building barrier barricades now.
5. CHINESE BLACK BATFLOWERS
Still, it was no coincidence that Batman chose a bat as a symbol of intimidation of the criminal population of Gotham. Because these creatures of darkness are terrible: small evil eyes, thin paws with huge hooked nails, sharp teeth, a plump body unevenly covered with hair, and huge wings - what is not a description of a creepy monster from another low-budget, but no less scary, horror film? And if you are one of those who considers them cute little animals that eat fruit, then you will probably change your mind when one of these creatures grabs your face and sucks out all your blood... but, unfortunately, it will be too late for you .
Mother Nature has worked hard in an attempt to create the most terrible and at the same time disgusting plant, endowing it with all the distinctive features bat and adding a bunch of rope-like tentacles for good measure. This product of childhood nightmares is called the Chinese mouse flower.
6. BUDDHA’S HAND
I don’t know what crazy genius decided that this thing looks like the hand of Buddha, to me it’s more like hentai tentacles that are about to engulf another busty beauty.
In fact, the vile tentacles turn out to be quite edible, one might even say tasty, citrus fruit, which is incredibly popular in China and Japan. If you remember the network of toilet-like restaurants, it’s not difficult to understand why the Chinese are crazy about eating this curiosity, but I didn’t expect this from the prim Japanese.
In fact, the Buddha's hand is a strange-looking lemon, which often contains nothing but the peel. Fructina attracts eastern peoples not only by its unusual appearance, but also by its aromatic properties: in Japan they make tea from it, and in China they keep it at home as a talisman, which brings good luck and happiness to the house, drives away all evil spirits and bestows longevity. These lemon tentacles are also used to make jam, marmalade and violet-scented perfume.
And a little about serious things: traditionally it is believed that Buddha can cunningly twist, fold and turn his fingers during prayer, and at such moments his hands are very similar to these monstrous lemons.
Whatever you want, but if this is really the case, then if I had the opportunity to meet Buddha or good-natured Freddy Krueger in a dark gateway, I would high probability chose the latter.
7. VENUS FLYTRAP / DIONAEA MUSCIPULA
I dare to suggest that just a couple of million years ago these monsters ate dinosaurs and were the rightful masters of the planet. But evolution is the enemy of maximalism and all the giants have either already died out or acquired more earthly sizes in order to survive, so today the flycatcher is small plant, feeding exclusively on insects, caterpillars, slugs and frogs.
How it works: inside the mouth-leaf there are many tiny sensitive hairs. A prey crawling onto a leaf irritates these hairs, which in turn send a signal to the cells of the inner part of the leaf to contract and the “mouth” begins to close. After some time, the inside of the leaf begins to secrete digestive fluid and the victim, exhausted from unsuccessful attempts to get out, begins to slowly digest (this process takes quite a long time. For example, it will take a flycatcher about a week to digest a slug).
8.CEDAR-APPLE RUST FUNGUS
What turns a juicy, healthy apple into a rotting lump of vile horror that harbors a whole brood of worms? If your answer is cedar-apple rotting mushroom (abbr. KYAGG), then, most likely, you were smart and simply read this tricky interweaving of letters that adorns the beginning of this story!
KYAG is a fungal infection that transforms apple and cedar fruits beyond recognition. You can even make horror films about this abomination right now: infected fruits turn into disgusting monsters in just a few months. Here's how it happens: from a tiny fungal spore, an impressively sized spherical body develops - from 3.5 to 5 centimeters in diameter; when wet, this abomination exfoliates, forming disgusting tendrils. As a result, pine nuts and apples turn into little evil Cthulhus.
10. CHINESE FLEECEFLOWER
The fruits of the “rune flower” have frightening shapes that make them look like little potato people.
The Chinese are uprooting these tiny underground inhabitants from the earth in order to use their naked, defenseless bodies as a panacea for all diseases, including impotence, cancer, AIDS, dementia, etc., etc...
Before turning into life-giving powder, the little men are subjected to all sorts of torture, including: boiling, skinning, soaking in moonshine and dismemberment.
Mark my words, soon the potatoes will get tired of Chinese oppression and rebel against all humanity. So think twice before you decide to restore your “mojo” with the help of a “runic flower”.
11. PORCUPINE TOMATO
The Porcupine tomato is a one and a half meter monster growing in Madagascar, the leaves of which are covered with terrifying-looking orange spines. This spiky miracle has incredibly beautiful purple flowers, collected in clusters, with which he lures his victims to him: and now you bend down to pick one of them and find yourself impaled on “deadly” thorns.
In addition to the fact that the Porcupine tomato is prickly and poisonous, it is almost impossible to kill: it does not care for most chemicals and can survive severe cold and even severe drought. As you already understood, this creation of nature is a monstrous weed that has set the goal of its existence to capture your personal plot. Behind a short time one plant can produce a whole army of Porcupine tomatoes, which in a few weeks will turn into 1.5 meter giants, each of which will fight to the last and shed more than one liter of your blood before being uprooted from the ground.
Growing in the rain forests of Sumatra and Borneo, Rafflesia has flowers of the most big size, among single flowers.
A rafflesia flower can reach one meter in diameter and weigh up to 10 kilograms.
In addition, the flowers have a disgusting smell of rotten meat to attract insects for pollination.
This is a very rare plant and quite difficult to find. The plant develops over several months, but blooms only for a few days.
This plant also does not have a good smell. It also grows in Indonesia and is nicknamed “corpse flower” for its unpleasant smell of rotten meat. The Titan Arum flower can reach 3 meters in diameter and 2-3 meters in height. The weight of a flower can be up to 65 kilograms.
Unlike its smelly cousin Rafflesia, Titan arum is not a single flower, but consists of many inflorescences.
Hydnora africana is native to South Africa.
This terrible thing actually grows underground, only the flower, which looks like pieces of meat, rises above the surface.
This flower would easily outperform plants whose smell is reminiscent of dead flesh. It smells like feces, and for good reason. It attracts dung beetles, the plant's natural pollinators. The flower captures insects for a short time and then releases them, opening completely.
This is not just a classic swamp lily. It can reach a diameter of 3 meters on a stem 8 meters long.
The leaf of this plant can support a weight of 100 kilograms.
Its discovery in 1801 caused a lot of noise in Europe. It owes its name to Queen Victoria.
The flowers of this plant are almost the size of a football. white in the morning, in the evening they turn pink. The plant has an interesting defense mechanism, it is all covered with sharp needles, only the roots, flower and upper surface do not have needles.
This plant is also grown in other parts of the world, including England and the USA (Florida).
Welwitschia mirabilis was discovered by the Austrian scientist Friedrich Welwisch during research in Africa. According to Friedrich, it was the most amazing plant of all that he had encountered in his life. It grows along the coast of the Namib Desert. This plant has a very long lifespan. It manages to live up to 2 thousand years with virtually no water (2-3 cm per year).
After germination, two main leaves grow, which elongate over the course of life. Their length can reach 4 meters. Typically, these leaves eventually fall apart into strip-like sections, so it may appear that there are actually more leaves.
This plant is very rare, mainly due to the collectors who hunt for them. You can find them in Angola and Namibia. In Angola, the chance of finding it is slightly higher, due to the huge number of mines scattered across the fields.
Lithops are succulents accustomed to the dry, hot climate of South Africa.
IN Ancient Greece“litos” meant “stone”, and “ops” meant similar. Hence the name “stone-like.” They are also called “living stones”.
A distinctive feature of lithops is the color of their leaves. They are never green. they are brown, gray, cream with dark spots and red streaks.
This coloring serves as a camouflage for the plant. Lithops bloom well and can be grown at home. For this it is only necessary: “enough light, good ventilation and enough persistence to keep yourself from watering them.”
There are more than 150 species of amorphophallus, the largest and most spectacular of them is called giant. In order to admire the huge amorphophallus, numerous spectators even agree to endure its terrible smell. Amorphophallus is gigantic, taller than a human. Even in the first flowering cycle, the gramophone on a spotted stalk grows up to one and a half meters, and with each subsequent time the underground tuber gains more and more strength, and the flower grows higher. The record holder is considered to be a giant amorphophallus that bloomed in 2005 in Germany. Its height was 294 centimeters. Flowering occurs as if suddenly - a peduncle appears from the ground and a flower blooms. No shoots or leaves; amorphophallus will release its only leaf later. When they bloom, a strange action occurs, accompanied by that same unbearable stench. Because of its smell, it is called corpse flower, and this smell resembles either rotten meat or spoiled fish. But it’s not for nothing that amorphophallus acquired such an aroma; dung beetles flock to it to help pollination. During pollination, the flower not only smells, but also heats up, up to about 40 degrees.
This plant is one of the smallest flowering plants on Earth. It grows in water.
It has no roots and looks like a grain. floating on the surface of the water.
The 38 species of this plant are widely distributed on Earth and typically grow in temperate tropical regions.
This plant is edible. It contains a large number of proteins, almost like soy. In Asia, it is traditionally eaten as a vegetable.
The size of a single plant is less than one millimeter.
Definitely one of the most romantic plants! Grows in Central Asia, Europe and Asia Minor.
In fact we're talking about not about one flower, but a group of several tiny flowers gathered together. Edelweiss is very well protected from the cold and can grow not only on rocks, but also in valleys.
New Zealand nettle tree
The most dangerous stinging plant is the New Zealand nettle tree. It can kill dogs and even horses by injecting a mixture of strong poisons under their skin. The fine, stinging hairs on the leaves contain histamine and formic acid.
The largest carnivorous plant, capable of digesting the largest prey, belongs to the Nepentaceae family. Frogs, birds and even rats are caught in its traps and digested with the help of enzymes. Grows in tropical forests of Asia, on. Borneo and Indonesia.
The largest cactus in the world, the saguaro, grows in Mexico and Arizona. It easily reaches a height of 15 meters and weighs from 6 to 10 tons. The saguaro flower has 3,500 stamens, which are so large that small birds sometimes build nests there.
It takes a long time for a cactus to grow this huge: saguaros grow extremely slowly. In the first 30 years they grow no more than a meter. This is followed by a period of relatively rapid growth, when the cactus gains about a millimeter every day. Only at the age of 75 does the cactus acquire its exotic appearance of a huge trunk with garlands of lateral shoots. Cacti live up to 150 years, which, of course, is a lot for succulents.
I couldn’t resist posting this plant; anyone who likes tequila will agree with me.
The wild variety of agave grows in western Mexico in a dry tropical climate at an altitude of more than 1,500 meters above sea level, preferring red soils with a high sand content.
Jalisco, one of Mexico's northwestern states, continues to celebrate UNESCO's recent decision to designate blue agave plantations concentrated in the central regions of the state as a Heritage of Humanity.
Of particular delight is new status blue agave in the city of Tequila, which gave its name to the famous alcoholic drink obtained from this plant. Here, in the vicinity of the city, are located most of the plantations founded by the Indians in pre-Columbian times.
Indeed, the flower of the clitoris is very similar to the female genital organs, but despite this, the battle for the name “clitoris” continued throughout the first half of XIX century. The famous English botanist James Edward Smith was the first to cry out in 1807, but supporters of the name clitoris did not give up.
The last attempt to rename the clitoria took place in 1840 and it also failed. So the clitoria remained a clitoris...
By the way, this plant is very useful. Not only do Thais dye their rice a cheerful blue color with clitoris extract, it has a variety of medicinal uses.
Breadfruit, common in Oceania, accumulates starch in its pulp as it ripens, and if such a fruit is baked, it will taste like bread. The weight of such a loaf can reach 12 kilograms and, by the way, these fruits have been replacing bread for local residents for centuries.
When people talk about the strength of wood, many people immediately think of “iron wood,” yew, or boxwood.
But the most durable wood grows in the Primorsky Territory, the largest population is in the Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve. The species is rare, protected, listed in the Red Book. It also grows in China (Jilin, Liaoning), Japan (Honshu) and the north of the Korean Peninsula.
The Schmidt birch grows slowly in the first years of its life. Lives up to 300-350 years.
This is wood with unique properties - if you make a ship’s hull from iron birch, you don’t have to paint it: it is not in danger of corrosion. Wood is not destroyed even by acids. The bending properties are not inferior to wrought iron and are 3.5 times stronger than cast iron. A bullet can't penetrate it. You can't cut down a tree with an ax; it simply doesn't leave a mark on the trunk.
Frost-resistant Norwegian spruces
An ancient spruce was discovered high in the mountains of western Sweden.
Thanks to radiocarbon dating carried out in a laboratory in Florida (USA), the stele is known to be 8 thousand years old. Two more huge spruce trees grow near the tree. Scientists believe that they are between 4.8 thousand and 5.5 thousand years old.
But there, in Sweden, an even more amazing discovery was discovered.
Don’t let the tree’s slenderness and short height deceive you; it was born immediately after the end of the Pleistocene ice age(photo by Leif Kullman). He is... 9550 years old!!!
The previous oldest trees - pines in North America - dated back 4-5 thousand years.
Our planet never ceases to amaze with the diversity of plant and animal species that exist on it, sometimes possessing amazing abilities.
A selection of the most interesting facts about plants:
1. An amazing plant called Ceratonia of the legume family, which has long been cultivated in the Mediterranean, has a curious property - the size of its fruits is always the same (0.2 g), for which they were very valued by jewelers in the old days, but now this measure is called a carat. The scientific name of the genus, by the way, comes from the Greek κεράτιον ( seratiοn), κέρας ( seras) "Horn".
2. Among straight-trunked trees, Australian eucalyptus trees boast the highest height, reaching a height of 150 meters and sometimes more. A telegraph pole made from the wood of this tree can withstand strong winds, and the root system of the eucalyptus sucks water from the soil with such force that people use these natural pumps to drain swamps.
3. The record holder plant is also titanium arum, the flower of which is the largest and reaches a height of 2.27 meters. Due to the unbearable smell emitted by the plant, titan arum was nicknamed the “corpse flower”: its “aroma” resembles the smell of rotten meat. However, for pollinators - flies and beetles - this smell and bright color are very attractive. Under natural conditions, the flower grows in the jungle about. Sumatra. Titan arum blooms once every 20–40 years and blooms for only two days. Only about 150 cases of its flowering have been officially recorded worldwide. A few years ago, visitors to the British Botanical Garden were happy witnesses to the flowering of this peculiar plant.
4. Another famous large flower is Rafflesia Arnolda (Sumatra island, Kalimantan, Philippines, etc.). Rafflesia Arnolda blooms with single flowers, their diameter is 60-100 cm, and their weight is up to 8 kg. The flower emits an unpleasant odor, reminiscent of rotting meat, which attracts the main pollinators - flies.
5. In the Amazon basin you can find a plant of the water lily family called Victoria. Its leaves on the surface of the water reach three meters in diameter and can support a weight of up to 30 kg.
6. One of the most interesting facts about plants is that the leaves on their trunks and branches are not arranged randomly, but in a certain sequence, having a certain angle of deviation relative to each other. The size of this angle varies depending on the plant itself. So, for an apricot it is 2/5, for a pear - 3/8, for almonds - 5/13, etc. This arrangement of leaves in accordance with the size of the tree, leaves and growing environment provides them with optimal nutrition, access to light and full growth.
