Friday, October 29, 2010

Top 10 strange plants on the planet


Amorphophallus Titanum

This name is a bit tough to comprehend, but let’s break it up with its English meanings. Amorphos stands for distorted, phallus refer to penis, and titan denote huge. If this scientific name is not enough to convince you as to why this is on the 1st position in the list, its pet name certainly will, corpse flower. This plant is so named because of the fact that it emits a smell that is same to the odor of the dead flesh. Indigenous to the rainforest of Sumatra, this plant is now seen across the globe and as the name suggest, it grows 10 feet high holding a spadex in the center. The plant attracts the dung beetles, flesh flies, and carrion beetles, not human noses – of course!

Rafflesia Arnoldii

This is one more plant that emits unpleasant odor like the above one. But, this smell is of the rotting meat, which is required to pull some specific insects that will finally pollinate for development. So, instead of beauty, this plant is known for its smell, color, and size. Talking about the color and size, the plant boasts 5 thick petals in burnt orange or red color and that it also develops the largest flower weighing 24lbs with the width of 3 feet. Named after the founder of the colony in Singapore, this plant is rare to be seen. It grows in the Sumatra and Borneo rainforests. It takes months for this plant to grow and bloom and many believe that this is on its path to extinction.

Nepenthes

Seen in Australia, Indochina, and on the Malay islands, this plant needs high humidity conditions, extreme light, and average rainfall to grow. The plant name is similar to a monkey cup and it is bizarre to see monkeys drinking from it. This 3 feet high plant boasting 7 inches long leaves features a hollow flower that is packed with the own-generated liquid. Although this liquid is occasionally drunk by animals, the actual aim is to catch the prey. This fluid is covered by a ‘lid’. It holds two types of flowers – high flowers hanging from the vines and the low ones near the ground. Do you know who are its prey? Well, insects, spiders, scorpions, crickets, lizards, snails, frogs, and centipedes.

Dracunculus Vulgaris

Originally found in Greece, Crete, and the Aegean islands, this plant is also called the Dragonwort or the Stink Lily. It is so called because of the shape and odor. The plant holds a long spadex of black or purple color flanked by the spathe, which is also called the dragon hiding in spathe. Coming to its smell, it is that of a rotting flesh. However, the best part is that this odor is temporary and evades soon. As long as the smell remains, it pulls the insects that pollinate this being for growth. Also seen in California, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and Oregon; this is quite hardy plant that can hold over 40 blooms simultaneously.

Victoria Amazonica

Unlike the lily pads and water lilies, this plant is huge enough to hold not only a human hand, but even a baby of 300lb body. Now, this is unbelievable. So, this is the largest aquatic lily whose root is over 26 feet and that the flowers as well as leaves grow until 10 feet in diameter. One more bizarre feature of this plant is that it changes colors. During the bloom time at first night, white is the color that becomes pink the next day. As per the name indicates, it is seen in the Amazon River basin and was named in the honor of Queen Victoria.

Hydnora Africana

Seen in southern Africa, this is a parasitic plant famous for its filthy smell similar to that of the feces. Although it is not bearable by the humans, the smell is required for its existence so that it can pull the pollinators such as dung beetles, trap them, and then release them on reopening. Talking about the looks, it is boring brown/grey being with no leaves and seems as if there is no life to it. Hydnora grows underground, but its fleshy flower can be seen above ground. As crazy as it sounds, the flower is edible.

Wolffia Angusta

Also know as water meal, this plant is native to Asia and is the part of diet too because it is a good source of protein and soybean. It is a part of genus that boasts a few smallest plants in the world. This plant is very small and it grows on the surface of the water where depressions exist explaining why it is named so. It has no roots, grow in groups, and also merge with other like plants.

Lithops Julii

This strange plant grows in southern Africa, meaning it needs tremendously hot and dry climate. If you know the Greek language, you will know that Lithops is derived from ‘lithos’ that stands for stone and ops means similar to. So, the nicknames of this plant are living stones and pebble plants. And you will be convinced why it is called so when you look at it. Unlike most green plants, this one appears grey, cream, and brown in color with a few red designs. This is a flowering plant boasting long petals as well as a pale yellow center.

Welwitschia Mirabilis

Unlike all the other plants that require reasonable amount of water for survival, this one is known to survive with just 3 inches of water for the full year. And the fine part is that this water is provided by rain and the ocean fog. This small requirement of water justifies the plant’s appearance, which is rugged, dry, and fragile. In its entire life of 1000 to 2000 years, the plant boasts only two leaves, but is still called as the ‘living fossil’. However, it splits after reaching 13 feet. , which makes the plant seem like it has more. Seen in Namibia and Angola, this plant is named by its discoverer – Friedrich Welwitsch.

Dionaea Muscipula

Also known as the Venus Fly Trap, this is the most popular carnivorous plant because of its effective way of traps. It holds two hinged leaves that are layered in very sensitive thin hairs that can sense the presence ants and arachnids. This trap will close in just within a second. Although it is popular for traps, the plant is also at its extinction.


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