Cherry compote is a rich and fragrant summer drink that not only...
On our planet there is great amount all sorts of plants, seeing which one can only wonder how nature could come up with something like this. An incredible number of species and subspecies of plants, many of which amaze with their qualities - from survival and adaptability, to colors and sizes. In this ranking of the most unusual plants, we will show the full scope of natural creativity.
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Romanesco is one of the cultivars of cabbage, belonging to the same varietal group as cauliflower. According to some reports, it is a hybrid of cauliflower and broccoli. This type of cabbage has long been grown in the vicinity of Rome. According to some reports, it was first mentioned in historical documents in Italy in the sixteenth century. The vegetable appeared on international markets in the 90s of the XX century. Compared to cauliflower and broccoli, Romanesco is more delicate in texture and has a milder creamy nutty flavor without a bitter note.
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Euphorbia obesum is a perennial succulent plant in the Euphorbiaceae family that resembles a stone or a green-brown soccer ball in appearance, without spines or leaves, but sometimes forms "branches" or suckers in strange-looking sets of spheres. It can grow up to 20-30 cm in height and up to 9-10 cm in diameter. Euphorbia obese is a bisexual plant, it has male flowers on one plant, and female flowers on the other. For fruit set, cross-pollination is necessary, which is usually carried out.
The fruit looks like a slightly triangular three-nut, up to 7 mm in diameter, containing one seed in each nest. When ripe, it explodes and scatters small, round, speckled-gray seeds 2 mm in diameter, the pedicels fall off after seeding. in full sun or partial shade. The plants are very well hidden among the rocks, their colors blending in with the environment so well that sometimes they are hard to spot.
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Tacca is a plant of the Tacca family, growing in a wide variety of environmental conditions and numbering 10 species. They settle in open and heavily shaded areas, in savannas, in thickets of bushes and in rain forests. Young parts of plants, as a rule, are pubescent with tiny hairs that disappear as they grow older. Plant sizes are usually small, from 40 to 100 centimeters, but some species sometimes reach a height of 3 meters. Although takka is becoming more widespread as indoor plant, it should be borne in mind that it is not easy to successfully maintain tacca in rooms due to the special demands of the plant on the conditions of detention. The Tacca family is represented by one genus Tacca, numbering about 10 plant species.
- Takka pinnatifida grows in tropical Asia, Australia, and in the tropics of Africa. Leaves up to 40-60 cm wide, from 70 cm long to 3 meters long. A flower with two bedspreads, large, reaching 20 cm wide, the color covered is light green.
- Tacca Chantrier grows in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. evergreen tropical, herbaceous plant reaching 90-120 cm in height. The flowers are edged with maroon, almost black, wing-span-like bracts. bat or butterflies with long, threadlike antennae.
- Whole-leaved takka grows in India. The leaves are wide, glossy, up to 35 cm wide, up to 70 cm long. A flower with two bedspreads, large, reaching 20 cm wide, the color is white, purple strokes are scattered over the white tone. The flowers are black, purple or dark purple, located under the bedspreads.
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Venus flytrap is a species of carnivorous plants from the monotypic genus Dionea of the Rosyankovye family. It is a small herbaceous plant with a rosette of 4-7 leaves that grow from a short underground stem. Leaves are three to seven centimeters in size, depending on the time of year, long trap leaves usually form after flowering. Feeds on insects and spiders. It grows in a humid temperate climate on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It is a species cultivated in ornamental horticulture. Can be grown as a houseplant. Grows in soils with a lack of nitrogen, such as swamps. Lack of nitrogen is the reason for the appearance of traps: insects serve as a source of nitrogen necessary for protein synthesis. The Venus flytrap belongs to a small group of plants capable of fast movements.
After the prey is trapped and the edges of the sheets close, forming a "stomach" in which the digestion process takes place. Digestion is catalyzed by enzymes that are secreted by glands in the lobes. Digestion takes approximately 10 days, after which only an empty chitinous shell remains of the prey. After that, the trap opens and is ready to capture new prey. During the life of the trap, an average of three insects fall into it.
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The dragon tree is a plant of the genus Dracaena that grows in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and on the islands of Southeast Asia. Grown as ornamental plant. An old Indian legend tells that a long time ago in the Arabian Sea on the island of Socotra, there lived a bloodthirsty dragon who attacked elephants and drank their blood. But one day, one old and strong elephant fell on the dragon and crushed it. Their blood mixed and wetted the ground around. At this place, trees have grown, called dracaena, which means “female dragon”. Indigenous people The Canary Islands considered the tree sacred, and its resin was used in medicinal purposes. The resin was found in prehistoric burial caves and was used for embalming at that time.
On its thick branches grow bunches of very sharp leaves. Thick branched trunk up to 20 meters high, diameter at the base up to 4 m, has a secondary growth in thickness. Each branch of branching ends with a dense bunch of densely arranged grayish-green, leathery, linear-xiphoid leaves 45-60 centimeters long and 2-4 centimeters wide in the middle of the plate, somewhat tapering towards the base and pointed towards the apex, with prominent veins. The flowers are large, bisexual, with a corolla-shaped dividing perianth, in bunches of 4-8 pieces. Some trees live up to 7-9 thousand years.
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The genus Gidnora includes 5 species growing in the tropical regions of Africa, Arabia and Madagascar, it is not very common, so just walking in the desert, you will not find it. This plant is more like a mushroom until its unusual flower opens. In fact, the flower is named after the hydnor mushroom, which means mushroom in Greek. Hydnoraceae flowers are rather large, solitary, almost sessile, bisexual, petalless. And what we usually see on the surface of the soil is what we call a flower.
These features of color and structure, as well as the putrid smell of flowers, serve to attract beetles that feed on carrion. Beetles, climbing into flowers, crawl into them, especially in their lower part, where the reproductive organs are located, contributing to their pollination. Often, female beetles not only find food in flowers, but also lay eggs there.
The inhabitants of Africa - willingly use the fruits of hydnora for food, like some animals. In Madagascar, the hydnora fruit is considered one of the best local fruits. Thus, the peddlers of hydnora seeds are the most and humans. In Madagascar, the flowers and roots of Hydnora are used by locals to treat heart disease.
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Baobab is a species of trees from the genus Adansonia of the Malvaceae family, characteristic of the dry savannahs of tropical Africa. The lifespan of baobabs is controversial - they do not have growth rings, which can be used to reliably calculate age. Radiocarbon dating has shown more than 5,500 years for a tree 4.5 meters in diameter, although baobabs are more conservatively estimated to live for about 1,000 years.
In winter and during the dry period, the tree begins to consume moisture reserves, decreasing in volume, sheds foliage. Baobab blossoms from October to December. Baobab flowers are large - up to 20 cm in diameter, white with five petals and purple stamens, on hanging pedicels. They open in the late afternoon and live only one night, attracting the scent of bats that pollinate them. In the morning, the flowers wither, acquiring an unpleasant putrefactive odor, and fall off.
Next, oblong edible fruits develop, which resemble cucumbers or melons, covered with a thick, hairy peel. Inside the fruits are filled with sour mealy pulp with black seeds. The baobab dies in a peculiar way: it seems to crumble and gradually settle, leaving behind only a pile of fiber. However, baobabs are extremely tenacious. They quickly restore the stripped bark; continue to bloom and bear fruit. A cut down or fallen tree is able to take on new roots.
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Victoria amazonica is a large herbaceous tropical plant family Water lilies, the largest water lily in the world and one of the most popular greenhouse plants in the world. Victoria amazonica was named after Queen Victoria of England. Victoria Amazonian is common in the Amazon in Brazil and Bolivia, it is also found in the rivers of Guyana that flow into the Caribbean Sea.
Huge water lily leaves reach 2.5 meters and, with a uniformly distributed load, can withstand weight up to 50 kilograms. The tuberous rhizome is usually deeply recessed into the muddy bottom. The upper surface is green with a waxy layer that repels excess water and also has small holes to remove water. The lower part is purplish red with a mesh of ribs studded with spikes to protect against herbivorous fish, air bubbles accumulate between the ribs to help the leaf float. In one season, each tuber can produce up to 50 leaves, which, growing, cover a large surface of the reservoir, covering sunlight and thereby limiting the growth of other plants.
Victoria Amazonian flowers are under water and bloom only once a year for 2-3 days. Flowers bloom only at night, and with the onset of dawn they fall under water. During flowering, flowers placed above the water, in the open state, have a diameter of 20-30 centimeters. On the first day, the color of the petals is white, on the second they are pinkish, on the third they turn purple or dark crimson. In the wild, the plant can live up to 5 years.
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Sequoia is a monotypic genus of woody plants of the Cypress family. Growing on the Pacific Coast North America. Individual specimens of sequoia reach a height of more than 110 meters - these are the tallest trees on Earth. The maximum age is more than three and a half thousand years. This tree is better known as the "mahogany", while plants of the related species sequoiadendron are known as "giant sequoias".
Their diameter at the level of the human chest is about 10 meters. Most a big tree in the world "General Sherman". Its height is 83.8 meters. In 2002, the volume of wood was 1487 m³. It is believed that he is 2300-2700 years old. The tallest tree in the world is Hyperion, its height is 115 meters.
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Nepenthes is the only genus of plants of the monotypic Nepentaceae family, which includes about 120 species. Most species grow in tropical Asia, especially on the island of Kalimantan. Named after the herb of oblivion from ancient Greek mythology - nepenfa. Species of the genus are mostly shrub or semi-shrub lianas growing in humid habitats. Their long thin herbaceous or slightly lignified stems climb the trunks and large branches of neighboring trees to tens of meters in height, carrying their narrow terminal racemose or paniculate inflorescences to sunlight.
In different types of Nepenthes, jugs differ in size, shape and color. Their length varies from 2.5 to 30 centimeters, and in some species it can reach up to 50 cm. More often, jugs are painted in bright colors: red, matt white with spotted pattern or light green with spots. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, actinomorphic and petalless, with four imbricate sepals. The fruit is in the form of a leathery box, divided by internal partitions into separate chambers, in each of which seeds with a fleshy endosperm and a straight cylindrical small embryo are attached to the column.
It is curious that large nepenthes, in addition to eating insects, also use the droppings of tupaya animals, which climb onto the plant like on a toilet bowl to feast on sweet nectar. In this way, the plant forms a symbiotic relationship with the animal, using its droppings as fertilizer.
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This fungus, belonging to Agaricus mushrooms, looks like chewed chewing gum, oozing blood and smelling of strawberries. However, you should not eat it, because it is one of the most poisonous mushrooms on earth, and even just licking it can be guaranteed to get serious poisoning. The mushroom gained fame in 1812, and then it was recognized as inedible. The surface of the fruit bodies is white, velvety, with small depressions, becoming beige or brown with age. On the surface of young specimens, drops of a poisonous blood-red liquid protrude through the pores. The word “tooth” in the title is not just that. The fungus has sharp formations along the edges that appear with age.
Except their external qualities, this mushroom has good antibacterial properties and contains chemicals that thin the blood. It is possible that soon this mushroom will become a replacement for penicillin. The main feature of this fungus is that it can feed on both soil juices and insects, which are attracted by the red liquid of the fungus. The diameter of the cap of a bloody tooth is 5-10 centimeters, the length of the stem is 2-3 centimeters. The bloody tooth grows in the coniferous forests of Australia, Europe and North America.
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The top three among the most unusual plants in the world is closed by a large tropical plant of the genus Amorphophallus of the aroid family, discovered in 1878 in Sumatra. One of the most famous species of the genus, it has one of the largest inflorescences in the world. The aerial part of this plant is a short and thick stem, at the base there is a single large leaf, above - smaller ones. Leaf length up to 3 meters, and up to 1 meter in diameter. Petiole length 2-5 meters, thickness 10 cm. Matte green, with white transverse stripes. The underground part of the plant is a giant tuber weighing up to 50 kilograms.
The aroma of the flower resembles a mixture of rotten eggs and rotten fish, and in appearance the flower resembles a decomposing piece of meat. It is this smell that attracts pollinating insects to the plant in the wild. Flowering continues for two weeks. Interestingly, the cob is heated up to 40 ° C. The tuber during this time is greatly depleted due to the overexpenditure of nutrients. Therefore, he needs another rest period of up to 4 weeks in order to accumulate strength for leaf development. If there are few nutrients, then the tuber “sleeps” after flowering until next spring. The life expectancy of this plant is 40 years, but during this time it blooms only three or four times.
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Velvichia is amazing - a relic tree - is one species, one genus, one family, one order of the Velvichievs. Velvichia grows in southern Angola and Namibia. The plant is rarely found further than a hundred kilometers from the coast, this approximately corresponds to the limit reached by fogs, which are the main source of moisture for Welwitschia. Its appearance cannot be called grass, bush or tree. Scientific world learned about Velvichia in the 19th century.
From afar, it seems that Velvichia has many long leaves, but in fact there are only two of them, and they grow throughout its plant life, adding 8-15 centimeters per year. AT scientific papers a giant was described with a leaf length of more than 6 meters and a width of about 2. And its life expectancy is so long that it is hard to believe. Although Velvichia is considered a tree, it does not have annual rings, as on tree trunks. Scientists have determined the age of the largest Velvichii by radiocarbon dating - it turned out that some specimens are about 2000 years old!
Instead of a social plant life, Velvichia prefers a lonely existence, that is, it does not grow in a group. The flowers of Velvichia look like small cones, with only one seed in each female cone, and each seed is equipped with wide wings. As for pollination, the opinions of botanists differ here. Some believe that pollination is carried out by insects, while others are more inclined to the action of the wind. Velvichia is protected by the Namibian Conservation Act. The collection of its seeds is prohibited without special permission. The entire territory where Velvichia grows has been turned into a National Park.
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1. BLOODY TOOTH / HYDNELLUM PECKII
This cute fungus looks like chewed gum, oozing blood and smelling like strawberries. But do not try to eat it, because it will be the last "delicacy" that you will taste in your life.
The fungus has been known to mankind since 1812 and is considered inedible, i.e. once, in dark, dark times, there lived a genius who sacrificed his life for the glory of science in order to warn descendants from eating this “delicacy”.
In addition to its outstanding external qualities, this abomination has antibacterial properties and contains chemicals that thin the blood. What can I say, soon this fungus can become a replacement for penicillin (which, by the way, was derived from a fungus of the Penicillium notatum species). If you do not have enough thrills, and you intend to perpetuate your name in the annals of history at all costs (you already have the Darwin Award and the title of the most stupid suicide on planet Earth 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, with which the serial killer marked the burial place of all his 666 victims.
This unusual plant is called "puppet eyes". There is also a less telling name for this horror - a white raven.
Nothing special other than its appearance given plant does not possess, 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 times when disgusting things turn out to be quite pleasant in taste, smell ... but this is not the case: the mushroom, called “stinking octopus horn”, not only looks disgusting, but also stinks, so that it cannot be described words.
4 DEVIL'S CLAW
"Devil's claw" is something like the thorns of our burdock, which, being launched by a well-aimed hand best friend entangled in your hair more than once. The main difference between these two sticks lies in their appearance: if the burdock thorns are cute little lumps that just ask for your hands, then the devil's claw is more like an evil cannibal spider, which is just waiting to grab your throat.
Once upon a time, these demonic contraptions were “found” only in Arizona, where the native Americans (Indians) wove terrifying-looking baskets from them and laid out entire “minefields” with them, which the enemies preferred to bypass. Today, "demonic claws" have already completely occupied the entire Northwest of the United States. I feel that this abomination will soon get to 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 right now.
5. CHINESE BLACK BATFLOWERS
All the same, Batman did not accidentally choose a bat as a symbol of intimidation of the criminal population of Gotham. For these creatures of darkness are terrible: small evil eyes, thin paws with huge hooked nails, sharp teeth, a chubby body unevenly covered with hair, and huge wings - why not describe a creepy monster from another low-budget, but no less scary horror movie? And if you are one of those who consider them cute little animals that eat fruits, then you will surely change your mind when one of these creatures clings to your face and sucks all your blood to the drop ... but, unfortunately, it will be too late for you .
Mother nature did her best in an attempt to create the most terrible and at the same time disgusting plant, endowing it with all hallmarks bat and adding for fidelity a bundle of flagellate tentacles. This product of children's nightmares was called the Chinese mouseflower.
6. BUDDHA'S HAND
I don’t know what kind of crazy genius decided that this thing looks like a Buddha’s hand, for me it’s something more like hentai tentacles that are about to seize another busty beauty.
In fact, the nasty tentacles turn out to be quite an edible, one might even say tasty, citrus fruit, which is incredibly popular in China and Japan. If you recall a network of toilet-like restaurants, it is not difficult to understand why the Chinese are crazy about eating this curiosity, but I did not expect this from the stiff Japanese.
In fact, the hand of the Buddha is a strange-looking lemon, in which there is often nothing but the peel. Fructina attracts Eastern peoples not only with its unusual appearance, but also with its aromatic properties: in Japan, tea is brewed from it, and in China they are kept at home as a talisman that brings good luck and happiness in the house, drives away all evil spirits and bestows longevity. They also make jam, marmalade and perfumes smelling of violets from these lemon tentacles.
And a little about the serious: it is traditionally believed that the Buddha can cleverly wrap, fold and turn his fingers during prayer, and at such moments his hands are very similar to these monstrous lemons.
As you wish, but if this is true, then if I had the opportunity to meet the Buddha or the good-natured Freddy Krueger in a dark alley, I would most likely choose the latter.
7. Venus Flytrap / DIONAEA MUSCIPULA
I dare to suggest that even a couple of million years ago, these monsters devoured dinosaurs and were the rightful owners of the planet. But evolution is the enemy of maximalism and all the giants have either died out or acquired more earthly dimensions in order to survive, so today the flycatcher is a small plant that feeds exclusively on insects, caterpillars, slugs and frogs.
How it works: inside the mouth-leaf there are many tiny sensitive hairs. The victim, crawling onto the leaf, irritates these hairs, which, in turn, give a signal to reduce the cells of the inner part of the leaf, and the “mouth” begins to close. After some time, the inside of the leaf begins to secrete digestive fluid and, exhausted from unsuccessful attempts to get out, the victim begins to slowly digest (this process takes quite a long time. For example, it will take about a week for a flycatcher 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 just read this cunning interlacing of letters that adorns the beginning of this story!
KYAGG is a fungal infection that transforms apple and cedar fruits beyond recognition. At least right now, you can make horror films about this abomination: infected fruits turn into disgusting monsters in just a few months. Here's how it happens: from a tiny spore of a fungus, an impressive spherical body develops - from 3.5 to 5 centimeters in diameter, when wet, this abomination exfoliates, forming vile antennae. As a result, pine nuts and apples turn into small evil Cthulhu.
10. CHINESE RUNIC FLOWER / CHINESE FLEECEFLOWER
The fruits of the "rune flower" have intimidating 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 a life-giving powder, the little men are subjected to all sorts of tortures, including: boiling, skinning, soaking in moonshine and dismemberment.
Mark my words, soon the potatoes will get tired of the Chinese oppression and will rise up against all mankind. So think twice before you decide to restore your “mojo” with the help of a “runic flower”.
11. PORCUPINE TOMATO
Porcupine tomato is a one and a half meter monster growing in Madagascar, the leaves of which are covered with frightening-looking orange thorns. This spiky wonder-yuda has incredibly beautiful purple flowers, collected in clusters, with which it lures its victims to itself: and now you are already bending over to pick one of them and find yourself impaled on “deadly” spikes.
In addition to being thorny and poisonous, the Porcupine tomato is almost impossible to kill: most chemicals are unaffected by it and it 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. Per a short time one plant can spawn 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.
duckbill orchid
A small herbaceous plant living in Australia has learned to make its flowers look like small, 2 centimeters long ducks.
Pollia condensata: not yet nano, but already high technology
Pollia condensata lives in the deep forests of Africa - a small, unremarkable plant. Its fruits are notable: their blue color is 10 times more intense than any color created with pigment. But that's not all - the color does not fade with time, does not collapse from the absorption of light. The bright blue berries of this plant do not fade for many years and even decades after picking.
Chinese mushroom "immortality" Lingzhi: two millennia at the top of the ranking
Among the mushrooms that regularly fall into the baskets of avid lovers of "silent hunting", there are many that help doctors in the fight against various human ailments. But, none of them can even closely compare with the unique mushroom known in China under the name lingzhi (Ganoderma lusidum), which has been on the first line in the list of unique medicinal plants for more than two thousand years. Lingzhi is an incredibly capricious mushroom. In the wild, it has always been extremely difficult to find it, because it germinates from tough, rough spores only under certain conditions. This tree fungus lives exclusively on wild plums. But not everyone likes him. The famous ancient physician Ibn Sina claimed that lingzhi takes root only on 10 plums out of 10,000 that were infested with spores. Its medicinal properties were incredibly valued, and the difficulty of finding it turned the lucky collector medicinal plants, who attacked the lingzhi mycelium only once, into a real rich man.
Rambutan: Paradise is closer than you think
The inhabitants of Asia claim that if you eat at least one fruit of this tree, then life will become noticeably longer. Local population knows for sure that only rambutan is able to acquaint ordinary mortals with the taste of the food of the gods - ambrosia, and the garden of its trees is a place where every righteous person can get acquainted with the place of his future life- paradise. The evergreen rambutan grows up to 6 meters. Its flat, small, petalless flowers are grouped in erect panicles. There is nothing heavenly in the discreet appearance of this native of the Malay Archipelago in Southeast Asia, but during the flowering period, the fragrant sweet nectar of unprepossessing inflorescences exudes such an amazing smell that a myriad crowd of suffering people gather around to break into paradise. These are mainly butterflies, flies and other insects - they guarantee timely pollination.
Dracunculus: a common Mediterranean miracle
In northern latitudes climatic conditions leave very few opportunities for experimentation, but in the warm lands of the fantasy of nature there is where to turn around. What kind of creatures do not come out of her workshop! Particularly impressive are the plants, whose size simply staggers the northerners. These include the inhabitant of the Mediterranean coast with the intriguing name Dracunculus vulgaris. It all begins in early spring when a peduncle appears from a huge bulb, quickly reaching a height of about a meter with two dissected forked leaves. By the end of May, a flower opens on it, the length of which reaches 50 cm.
Parachute flower: the forerunner of the airborne paratroopers
Carl Linnaeus, describing in 1753 this graceful plant, wanted to give it the name "parachute flower". But the parachute had not yet been invented, so the scientist decided not to get ahead of events, and christened this representative of the African flora simply and without any frills - Ceropegia Woodii. And only in the 20th century, when parachutes ceased to be a curiosity, justice prevailed. This herbaceous evergreen belongs to succulents. It is distinguished by the presence of numerous intertwined thin, thread-like light green creeping shoots.
Rainbow Eucalyptus: abstract paintings in Australian forests
At the mention of eucalyptus, even a not very advanced connoisseur of geography will immediately imagine distant Australia. And a funny, like a teddy bear animal - a koala, with an appetite gobbles up green juicy leaves. But this tree, known for its outstanding growth, has a relative whose favorite pastime is to dress up beautifully. A relative is known under the name rainbow eucalyptus. In this unusual plant, the bark is painted in all the colors of the rainbow, which makes it look like a native beauty dressed in colorful festive dresses. The multi-colored tree comes from the Philippine island of Mindanao.
Mutinus canine. strange appearance
He leads a secluded life, tries to hide, as rarely as possible to catch anyone's eye. Most often hides in secluded places in the forest. It is understandable. It is difficult to imagine a different behavior of someone whose appearance is surprisingly similar to a certain intimate part of the body of a small dog. Of course, the appearance is not chosen, but few people like it when they constantly point the finger at it. A mushroom with such an unusual appearance has a name that was probably inspired by its appearance: Mutinus canine.
Amazing "living stones" lithops
Lithops- These are single-stemmed plants that have two clearly marked fleshy leaves, unusually similar to sandstone treated by wind and rain. The leaves sit on a very short stalk, smoothly turning into a taproot that goes deep into the ground in search of moisture. In autumn, yellow, pink or white flowers hatch between the leaves, resembling bright tassels, comparable in size to stone-like leaves.
Zhiryanka is a terrible swamp predator that hunts even during the day
Plant zhiryanka nothing outwardly remarkable. Its green leaves form a rosette. But woe to the insect that weakened its vigilance and wished to rest on the smooth surface of beautifully gleaming leaves!
Aldrovanda vesicularis
A plant with a beautiful name Aldrovanda vesicularis loves to settle in shallow, stagnant waters of ponds and lakes, rich in decaying bottom sediments. It loves warm summers and clean nature. You can meet Aldrovanda everywhere except Antarctica and the far north.
Govenia sweet: lollipops on the branches
In the common people, it is known as a candy tree, and scientists gave it a name. Govenia sweet or Hovenia dulcis.
Doll's Eye: alien plant
white crow, as a rule, it grows in the mountains of North America (in the east).
Porcupine tomato - an amazing weed with thorns
Porcupine tomato, which the British call Porcupine Tomato, lives in Madagascar
Mimosa bashful - a shy plant
This type of mimosa got its unusual name for unusual feature: if you touch the plant, then it, as if embarrassed and feeling awkward from the touch, folds its palmate-pinnate leaves, and lowers the petiole. After a short time, if there are no new irritants, the leaves unfold again, returning the plant to its original form. Such an interesting ability is harmful: the touchy mimosa cannot hide its leaves for a long time, with prolonged irritation it dies from energy exhaustion. The leaves also fold at night.
Cedar-Apple Rust Fungus: even seasoned mushroom pickers are shocked
This monster is called cedar-apple rotting mushroom". However, mushroom pickers do not pay attention to Cedar-Apple Rust Fungus(this is his English pseudonym) as their interests are not affected.
Mysterious finds in China: the fruits of the runic flower
In nature, many plants and animals have learned to disguise themselves as other species for safety reasons. But what is found in the soil in different provinces of China defies reasonable explanation. Many are increasingly inclined to think about extraterrestrial origin or involvement in the finds of unknown civilizations.
The frightening forms of the fruits of the "Chinese runic flower" are surprisingly similar to small potato men.
Gidnora: a little-known African predator
Its homeland is the eastern regions of Africa. It is also widespread in Madagascar. Although common - not entirely true. It's just so hard to find him. Only a few travelers, while walking through the African deserts of the southern and eastern outskirts of the continent, had a chance to see this monster.
To ragged tooth (Hydnellum peckii): pretty killer mushroom
For its amazing appearance, this fungus has received a lot of names - strawberries with cream, tooth juice, bleeding or devil's tooth.
Rafflesia Arnoldi or "corpse lily"
Rafflesia Arnoldi is a huge flower, blood-red in color, consisting of five thick fleshy petals. They are dotted with white growths that look like warts.
Velvichia is amazing - a tree or a bush?
Welwitschia amazing (Welwitschia mirabilis) is unlike any specimen known to scientists. It grows in the barren deserts of South West Africa, more precisely in the coastal desert of Namibia.
Velvichia is a trunk that looks like a huge stump or stump of a tree, mostly hidden in the ground, crowned with two leathery immortal leaves. The unusual huge leaves of this plant, reaching up to 6 meters in length, are immortal in the truest sense of the word! After all, they live up to two thousand years - this is the longest life expectancy of Velvichia.
Amorphophallus titanic: flower giant
Amorphophallus titanic lives for about forty years, but blooms only a few times during the entire period of its life. There is a huge tuber of a plant in the ground, the weight of which, in some cases, reaches fifty kilograms. A green stem develops from the tuber, in the upper part of which there is one large leaf and several small ones. And the composition is crowned with an unusual flower of titanic size. Every year, old leaves die off, and new green leaves grow in their place. On the stem of the amorphophallus, female flowers first open, and after a few days male flowers, the flowering period lasts only two days. The temperature of the upper part of the flower is close to the temperature of the human body, thanks to this property, this unusual plant attracts a huge number of insects that pollinate it.
Desmodium rotatus: a dancing plant
Desmodium rotating or telegraph plant, as it is also called, is a shrub that reaches 1.2 meters in height, has oblong leaves resembling an ellipse, and the upper leaves of the plant are slightly drooping and much larger than the side ones. The flowers are small and clustered in racemes.
In strong light, the side leaves of the plant begin to rotate along a strictly defined trajectory. In 30 seconds, the lateral leaves of the desmodium describe a complete ellipse with their tips, their rotation is jerky and slightly resembles a message transmitted by Morse code, which is probably why the desmodium is called a telegraph plant.
Satin (satin wood): chic, shine, beauty!
Satin, it is satin wood- a representative of the Rutov family. It grows on the island of Sri Lanka and in southern India, in forests with low air humidity. The trunk of the tree reaches a height of only 3 meters, and a width of just over 30 cm. It is covered with thin, shiny bark, similar to satin fabric, hence the name of the plant.
Plants appear to us as something green and boring. But this is nothing more than pure prejudice - the plants from this list are ready to compete in diversity and uniqueness with the animal world, they just need to be given a chance.
15. Rainbow Trees 
Imagine walking through a forest of 60-meter trees in all the colors of the rainbow. Do you think this is possible only in a fairy tale movie? But no - Eucalyptus deglupta, or rainbow eucalyptus actually exists and is found in forests in the Philippines. These trees grow so fast that the bark peels off in strips, revealing a bright green layer that changes color to yellow, orange, red, purple and brown as it ages.
14. Snapdragon seed pods 
Snapdragon has been widely used as a model by botanists in many genetic studies. For example, Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin used snapdragons to study heredity. Distinctive feature plants are his seed pods, each like a screaming skull.
13. Jaboticaba 
Jaboticaba is fruit tree with unique fruit formation. Unlike most trees, whose fruits grow on branches, Jaboticaba forms its black fruits right on the trunk. It looks like they ooze from the bark. Although the Jaboticaba fruit is popular in Brazil, due to its short shelf life, it rarely makes it to other places. The fruit can be consumed fresh, as well as in the form of jam, wine or liquor.
11. Amorphophallus titanic 
This flower is the tallest in the world - its height can reach three meters. The yellow spadix in the center contains small white flowers. As soon as they are ready to spread the pollen, the cob begins to generate heat, which helps to spread a fetid odor that resembles the smell of a decaying corpse. As in the case of the corpse lily, the smell attracts flies, which are engaged in pollination.
10. Elephant yam 
Amorphophallus pionifolia, or elephant yam, is a close relative of Amorphophallus titanic. Previously, the only way to distinguish between the different species in this group was to smell them and find out exactly what kind of stink they exude. The tubers, which gave the plant the name "yams", are the third most popular carbohydrate source in Indonesia after rice and corn. And the word "Amorphophallus" in the name indicates the shape of the flower - literally it translates as "shapeless penis."
9. Voronets thick-legged 
Voronet thick-legged also bears the cheerful name "doll eyes". It is quite obvious that the creepy "eyes" are poisonous. Just a handful of these berries can cause instant death. Of course, only a desperate brave man can dare to eat the berries that are looking at him ...
8. Bitter cucumber 
Momordica charantia, or bitter cucumber, is a herbaceous vine that grows all over the world. Its fruits, empty inside, have a warty surface. They are usually eaten while they are still green because the yellowing fruit becomes more and more bitter as it ripens. However, when the fully ripe fruit opens, a sweet, bright red center can be found inside.
7. Naked man 
Orchis italica, also known as the Naked Man orchid, can be found almost everywhere in the Mediterranean region. They are very popular among orchid lovers because ... well, at least because the petals look like naked men, which is incomprehensible here. The plant has about 40 varieties, so you can choose a naked man in almost any color and size.
6. Predatory pitchers 
Animals eat plants. This is the natural order of things. However, some plants go against the system and fight back. The pitchers trap insects, spiders, and even small mammals and reptiles, and then drown them. Their modified leaves hold a liquid that contains digestive enzymes and chemicals. As soon as the victim enters the jug, he slides down the waxed slippery walls, which do not allow him to get out. After unsuccessful attempts to get out, the victim sinks into the liquid, drowns, and the plant digests it to provide itself with nutrients that are not found in the soil.
5. Flowering stones 
Of course, you know perfectly well that flowering stones do not exist in nature. But it is precisely them that the amazing plants of the genus Lithops resemble. They can be found in the rocky and sandy deserts of South Africa. Plants have adapted to superficially resemble the rocks around them. This shape allows them to survive in regions with low rainfall, as small area surface inhibits evaporation. Lithops are popular houseplants and are often sold specifically as "living stones".
4. African Gidnora
3 Albino Sequoia 
Ask your child to draw a tree and you will get a brown trunk and green leaves. Everyone knows that trees are green. Everything except the albino sequoia. These trees are unable to produce chlorophyll, and without chlorophyll, they cannot absorb sunlight and produce their own nutrients. For other trees, this would be a death sentence, but sequoias have the ability to share roots among themselves. When an albino redwood sprouts, it needs to attach itself to the root system of another tree in order to extract food.
2. Red tumbleweed 
Bassia broom grows in Eurasia, but somehow made it to the United States, where it received the nickname "Mexican fire weed" or more prosaic "burning bush". Tumbleweeds usually turn yellow or brown when they die, but bassia takes on a bright red hue. Entire fields of bassia can be found in Japan, where their black seeds are called "caviar of the earth."
1. Kiss plant 
Psychotria sublime is known by the unflattering name of "whore sponge". One glance at the flower is enough to understand where this name comes from. The plant is found in the jungles of Central America, but despite its enticing appearance, it is gradually becoming endangered due to habitat loss. These lips would look great on Batman's rival, Poison Ivy. Especially when you consider that the flower produces a hallucinogenic substance. Oddly enough, the "sponges" themselves are not the flower of the plant. The flower protrudes from the "mouth", all covered with yellow viscous mucus. As they say, beauty is on the surface...
Our planet is home to 300,000 plants, so it's no surprise that sometimes you can find truly bizarre and unique plants.
We all know roses, tulips and other commonly grown flowers, but did you know that there are rare orchids that look like monkey faces, dancing girls or flying ducks? Have you heard of a plant that eats mice? What about plants that smell like dead flesh or feces? In fact, the plant kingdom is very diverse and exciting with thousands of stunning plant species that you have most likely not even heard of.
To show you how diverse and unique the flora of our planet can be, in this list we will tell you about the most bizarre and unique plants in the world. From oddly shaped orchids and "living rocks" to snapdragons, Darth Vader's flower and vicious carnivorous plants that can digest small animals, here are some of the strangest and most unusual plants on the planet.
25. Prayer Abrus (Crab´s eye)
Abrus prayer is slender, curly perennial, which wraps around trees, bushes and hedges. This plant is endemic to almost all of the tropics and is best known for its seeds, which are used as beads as well as in percussion instruments. It is worth remembering that these seeds are poisonous due to the fact that they contain abrin (Abrin).
24. Lithops from the Karas Mountains (Lithops karasmontana) 
'Lithops karasmontana' (which translates as living rock from the Karas Mountains) is a species of flowering plant in the Aizoaceae family, endemic to Namibia and southern Africa. This unique looking plant escapes herbivore attacks by mimicking rock formations. When these plants are not in bloom, they are almost indistinguishable from rocks.
23. Radiant leader (White Egret flower)
The radiant leader is a species of orchid endemic to China, Japan, Korea and Russia. The flower resembles a white dove, but should not be confused with the white fringed orchid Platanthera praeclara, which is a North American species.
22. Rafflesia Arnold (Corpse flower)
Rafflesia Arnold, endemic to the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo, is notable for being the largest single flower on Earth (1 meter in diameter). The scientific name of this plant is Rafflesia arnoldii. The flower exudes a very strong stench, reminiscent of the smell of decaying flesh, due to which it is also called a corpse flower.
21. Orchid "Dracula benedictii"
'Dracula benedictii' is a rare species of orchid found in the central and western Cordilleras of Colombia. This monkey face orchid was named after Benedict Roezl, the famous bohemian collector who discovered it.
20. "Nepenthes distillatoria"
A tropical carnivorous plant of the Nepenthes genus called 'Nepenthes distillatoria', found in Sri Lanka, is famous for its leaves that have turned into deep traps. They serve as a sort of mechanism to trap prey into a deep cavity filled with digestive fluid. The diet of the plant usually consists of insects, however, in some cases, frogs and even mice have been found in them.
19. Psychotria or Lips of a prostitute (Hooker's lips)
Prostitute's Lip Plant, scientifically known as Psychotria (Psychotria Elata), is a species of flowering plant in the Rubiaceae family. This plant, endemic to parts of Central and South America, appears to have evolved into its current form in order to attract pollinators, including hummingbirds and butterflies.
18. Euphorbia fat (Baseball plant)
Euphorbia obese, endemic to South Africa (particularly the Cape Province), is a subtropical succulent notable for its bizarre baseball-like shape. In the wild, the plant is endangered due to over-harvesting and poaching, as well as its slow growth.
17. Orchid-ballerina (Ballerina orchid)
The ballerina orchid is a small, inconspicuous earthen orchid with long narrow flower petals that grows both singly and in groups. This type of orchid can only be found in a very small region in southwestern Australia. The ballerina orchid is on the verge of extinction. Despite the fact that this plant can live for many years, it blooms only for two weeks.
15. Kirkazon Salvadoran or flower Darth Vader (Darth Vader flower)
The Darth Vader flower, scientifically known as "Aristolochia Salvadorensis", is a species of Aristolochia, a numerous plant genus with over 500 species. The plant, reaching 30 centimeters in height, mainly grows as an annual plant. This means that it only exists for one season.
14. Fern rachis (Fiddlehead fern)
Fern rachis or fern snails are rolled young fern shoots that are harvested for use as a vegetable. Fern rachis have antioxidant activity, are high in iron and fiber, and are a source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
13. Tacca Chantrier (Black bat flower) 
The Tacca Chantrier plant, endemic to tropical regions of Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia and southern China, is a species of flowering plant in the Dioscoreaceae family. This plant growing in the undergrowth is especially notable for its unusual black flowers, which are shaped like a bat.
12. "Ceropegia haygarthii"
'Ceropegia haygarthii' is a robust climbing vine with very small flowers. unusual shape cream and reddish brown. The plant is a species of the kutrovye family and grows in Angola, South Africa and Mozambique.
11. Dancing Girls Orchid (Impatiens Bequaertii)
What looks like two dancing girls are actually very rare flowers of the species 'Impatiens Bequaertii', one of the 1,000 species of the genus Impatiens, a flowering plant that is widespread throughout the northern hemisphere and the tropics.
10. Orchid "Babies in Diapers" (Swaddled babies orchid)
The 'Baby in Diapers' orchid, officially known as 'Anguola uniflora', is a small Anguloan native to South America where it grows at altitudes of 1400 to 2500 meters above sea level. The orchid is famous for its large flowers, reminiscent of babies in diapers, which exude a rich aroma.
9. Snapdragon (Skull flower)
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) is climbing plant, endemic to the rocky regions of Europe, the USA and North Africa. Once upon a time, people were afraid of it and believed that it had mystical powers due to the similarity of its dried flowers with skulls.
8. Phalaenopsis (Moth orchid)
Phalaenopsis, first discovered on a small island off the east coast of New Guinea in 1653, has a uniform texture that makes it easy to identify. Currently, this type of orchid can be found in the eastern and southeastern regions of Asia.
7. Single-flowered calceolaria (Darwin's slipper)
Calceolaria uniflora, scientifically known as "Calceolaria Uniflora" is a perennial plant of the genus Calceolaria (Calceolaria) with yellow, white and red-brown flowers. Calceolaria is a mountain plant, reaching a height of only 10 centimeters. This plant is endemic to the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, located in the south of South America.
6. Nepenthes Rajah (Nepenthes rajah)
Nepenthes Raja, endemic to parts of Borneo, is an insectivorous plant from the Nepentaceae family. It grows exclusively on serpentine substrates, particularly in areas where groundwater seeps through with loose and constantly moist soil. Due to the very limited and localized area of growth, this plant is classified as an endangered species.
5. Strongylodon large-handed (Jade vine)
Strongylodon largecarpus, also known as Emerald Strongylodon, is a species of perennial leguminous arboreal Strongylodon endemic to the rainforests of the Philippines. Being a close relative of common legumes, this plant has very long stems that reach 18 meters in length.
4. Double leaf (Skeleton flower)
Bifolia, scientifically known as "Diphylleia grayi", is a species of the barberry family (Berberidaceae). It is a small plant notable for its white petals that become when it rains. When dry, they turn white again.
3. Orchid "Flying Duck" (Flying duck orchid) 
The Flying Duck Orchid is a small orchid native to eastern and southern Australia. This terrestrial plant produces a marvelous flower resembling a duck in flight. The flower attracts insects such as male sawflies, which pollinate the flower in a process known as pseudocopulation.
2. Passion flower meat red (Maypop)
Meat red passion flower, also known as incarnate passionflower, red white passionflower, corporal passionflower or apricot liana is a fast growing perennial vine with climbing stems. The meat red passionflower is a member of the passionflower genus and produces large compound flowers with prominent stamens. This is one of the hardiest species of passionflower and is widely distributed in the southern United States.
1. Starfish flower
The starfish flower is one of the so-called corpse flowers. It is a strange looking plant that exudes a disgusting smell of rotting flesh. Despite the stench, this flower is very popular with gardeners and collectors who appreciate its unusual appearance and bright color.
