5 amazing plants in the world. The most unusual plants in the world

08/25/2015 at 18:08 · pavlofox · 60 420

Top 10 most unusual plants in the world

Nature is inexhaustible in fantasy. A huge number of amazing creatures live on Earth: from funny to terrifying. There are also the most unusual plants in the world. Let's talk about them today.

10. Titanic amorphophallus (Amorphophallus titanum)

The second name is Corpse lily (Corpse lily). The most unusual plant in the world makes it not only the gigantic size of the flower, but also the terrible smell that it exudes. It's good that you only have two days to smell the aroma of rotten meat and fish - this is the flowering period of this amazing plant. Another feature 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 birthplace of Amorphophallus titanic is the forests of Sumatra, where it is now almost exterminated. The plant can be seen in many botanical gardens around the world.

9. Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

Only the lazy did not write about this amazing predator plant. But no matter how much is said about him, the Venus flytrap is striking in its absolute alienness. It can easily be imagined 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 trap-leaf grow together and turn into a "stomach", where the digestion process takes place within 10 days. After that, the trap is again ready to catch 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 you can observe the amazing carnivorous plant yourself.

8. Wolffia (Wolffia angusta)

It belongs to the most unusual plants in the world because of its tiny size. This is an aquatic plant of the duckweed subfamily. The size of wolfia 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 as food by humans.

7. Passiflora (Passiflora)

This beautiful plant also seems to come from other worlds. An unusual flower led the missionaries who saw him in South Africa to an allegory about the savior's crown of thorns. From here came the second name of one of the most unusual plants in the world - passion flower (passion of Christ).

Passiflora is a lignified climbing vine with more than 500 species.

6. Amazonian Victoria (Victoria amozonica)

This is the most amazing and unusual water lily in the world. The diameter of the leaves of the plant reaches two meters. They are so large that they can support weights up to 80 kg. The flowers of this water lily are very beautiful, and Victoria amazonica is the most popular and unusual plant in greenhouses and botanical gardens.

Many amazing plants of the world have been known for a long time. But there are completely unusual representatives of the flora, which few people know about. Meanwhile, they really amaze with their appearance.

5. Nepenthes

Another predator plant that surprises with its unusual appearance. It grows mainly in Asia. Climbing high on neighboring trees, this bushy vine, along with ordinary leaves, has special trapping ones that take the form 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 into the jar and rolls down its smooth surface. At the bottom is a liquid consisting of digestive enzymes and acids - real gastric juice. The inner surface of the trapping leaf is lined with wax scales that do not allow the victim to get out of the trap. Like the Venus flytrap, Nepenthes digests the insect for several days. This is one of the most unusual and impressive plants in the world.

4.

An inedible mushroom native to Europe, North America and Australia. Outwardly, it looks like a small piece of cake, covered with strawberry syrup. It is not eaten because of its strong bitter taste. In addition to the amazing appearance, the mushroom also has useful properties - its pulp has an antibacterial effect and contains substances that thin the blood. Only a young plant looks unusual, the snow-white flesh of which exudes drops of a reddish liquid.

3.

White crow, or puppet 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 of all resemble puppet eyes planted on a branch. The birthplace of the white crow is the mountainous regions of North America. The plant, but does not pose a mortal danger.

2. Porcupine Tomato

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 picking them is very difficult, because the leaves of the plant are protected by long, poisonous orange-colored spikes. It was named tomato for fruits that 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, look very much like tiny two-centimeter ducks. In this way, the plant lures insects - male sawflies - for pollination.

1. Lithops or living stones (Lithops)

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 belong to succulents and therefore are quite unpretentious. The main thing is to take proper care of them, and one day it will be possible to admire how lithops, which look like small stones, will bloom. This usually happens in the third year of the plant's life.

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If in the 18th century, when this unusual plant was first described, they knew about airplanes, it would have been called that. It belongs to succulents and forms a dense weave of filamentous shoots. The plant feels great at home and is used for decorative decoration of rooms.

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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.
This plant does not have any 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 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 the best friend's well-aimed hand, have tangled 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 cling to 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 - what is not a description of 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 the hallmarks of a bat and adding, for fidelity, a bunch 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. Fructine 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 ate 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 itself the goal of its existence to capture your backyard. In 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.

Did you know that the height of the tallest trees exceeds 100 meters? Have you heard anything about plants that are able to "kill" and "eat" animals? In this article, you will learn a lot of amazing, interesting and even shocking things from the life of plants.

1. Velvichia is amazing (Welwitschia mirabilis).

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This desert dwarf tree can be up to 2,000 years old. From the short stump-like trunk of the plant, two huge leaves extend in both directions, which, as they grow, are longitudinally torn into ribbons, and the tips dry out. The age of these giant leaves is equal to the age of the tree. Leaves constantly grow from the base, and the tips die off. In some cases, the length of the leaves can reach 8 meters, and the width is 1.8 meters.

The genus Amorphophallus, like the genus Rafflesia, is famous for its "delicate aroma" of decaying flesh. The smell emanating from the flower is terrible. Few are able to admire amorphophallus without a gas mask. The flower of most representatives of this genus is huge in size (Especially in the species shown in the photo Amorphophallus titanum) and can reach a height of 2.5 meters with a diameter of 1.5 meters. In many eastern countries, the tubers of this plant are used in the preparation of various culinary dishes and medicines.

(Opuntia bigelovii)

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Opuntia Bigelow is probably one of the most amazing species of the Opuntia genus of the Cactus family. The photo above was taken in California's Joshua Tree National Park. In the photo, the entire desert landscape to the horizon is covered with amazing fluffy cacti, up to two meters high. In the rays of the setting sun, the landscape looks fantastic. The person who is here has the impression that he, as part of a space expedition, landed on another planet covered with unknown life forms.

5. Carnegia giant (Carnegiea gigantea)

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Carnegia giant (Saguaro) is another amazing plant of the Cactus family. The most amazing feature of this cactus is its gigantic size. The height of individual plants is about 14 meters, and the diameter is more than 3 meters! At the same time, the age of individual cacti reaches 150 years.

(Nepenthes)

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Most plants from this genus can be called "predators" without exaggeration, which obtain the necessary missing nutrients by "digesting" the caught insects. The plant has modified leaves that are shaped like jugs. The inner surface of the pitcher is lined with cells that produce nectar, which serves to attract insects, as well as "hair cells" that make it impossible to release an insect that has fallen into the net. The surface of the "neck" of the jug is very slippery, so there is practically no chance for an insect walking along the neck not to slip down. The insect falls into the water (in some species, a jug can contain up to 2 liters of water) and drowns. Further, enzymes are produced that completely “digest” the insect. Sometimes not only insects are trapped, but even mice, rats, birds.

The Venus flytrap is an even more amazing "killer plant" that takes more active steps to kill its prey. Modified leaves - "jaws" of this plant encroach on the life of not only insects, but also on life.

You can "enjoy" the rest of the amazing "combat feats" of the Venus flytrap on the video.

(Ficus benghalensis)

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At first glance, it may seem that the photo above depicts a forest. In fact, it is one single tree. Ficus Bengal forms powerful branches to support which shoots grow, which, going down to the ground, take root, forming powerful columns-trunks.

9. Evergreen Sequoia (Sequoia sempervirens)

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Some representatives of the plant world of the Earth amaze the imagination with their unusual fruits, size, appearance or lifestyle. This collection contains all the most amazing about plants found in different parts of our planet.

Incredible flowers

- An interesting plant of the lily family with the largest flower in the world. It is distinguished not only by its incredible size, but also by its aroma, reminiscent of a mixture of the smells of spoiled meat, fish or eggs. During flowering, its temperature reaches 40 ° C, due to which amorphophalus attracts many pollinating insects. Amorphophalus lives for about 40 years, but blooms only 2-3 times during this time.

- grows in the Peruvian and Bolivian parts of the Alps and has the largest inflorescence: its diameter reaches 2.5 m and its height is 12 m. Puya blooms only once in a lifetime, not earlier than at the age of 150, shortly after she dies.

Predators of the plant world

- an unusual predatory plant with trap leaves that grows on soils with a nitrogen deficiency. It is with the lack of nitrogen, which is necessary for protein synthesis, that the activity of traps is associated: they attract and digest insects, which are a source of nitrogen. This is one of the few plants that are distinguished by the speed of movement: the leaves of the flycatcher slam shut in 0.1 s.

- another insectivorous representative of the flora with traps in the form of pitchers, which can contain up to 2 liters of water. When the insect falls inside, the flower produces the enzymes necessary for digestion. Not only insects, but also birds, rats and mice sometimes become victims of nepenthes.

It grows on all continents of the Earth, with the exception of Antarctica, and catches its “victims” with the help of a bubble trap. The bubbles periodically open, suck in insects and water, and then close tightly. This whole process takes thousandths of a second.

unusual trees

Often compared to the work of an abstract artist, because its bark is painted with all the colors of the rainbow: the young areas are green, but over time the bark darkens and acquires burgundy, orange, purple and blue hues.

- the oldest plant on the planet Earth, which appeared 16 million years ago. Ginkgo trees can live up to 2,500 years and grow up to 30 m tall, and their leaves are often used to make medicines.

- an unusual desert dwarf tree with only two huge leaves, which, as they grow, are longitudinally divided into ribbons. In some trees, their width can reach 1.8 m, and the length - 8 m.

- one of the centenarians of the Earth with an average life expectancy of 1000 years, and the age of individual trees can reach 5500 years. With a maximum height of up to 25 m, the diameter of the baobab trunk sometimes grows up to 20 m. Often, its inner surface is affected by a fungus, so it collapses, forming a hollow space, which does not prevent the tree from growing and bearing fruit.

Note: in Zimbabwe, in the trunk of a baobab, there is a station waiting room, which freely accommodates about 40 people.

Unusual plant fruits

- African berries of iridescent blue color, which is obtained not due to pigments, but due to the special structure of the peel. Thanks to this, the bright color of the berries does not fade for decades after picking.

It has unusual fruits reminiscent of the taste of raisins, cloves and sugar. The plant was grown in Russia in the 17th century. for medicinal use.

- one of the most exotic fruit trees native to Southeast Asia. The appearance of its fruits with a diameter of 3-6 cm in appearance resembles a fluffy strawberry.

- the nickname of the poisonous plant white crow, originally from North America, earned due to the unusual appearance of the fruit: from a distance it seems that a terrible collection of eyes has been collected on the stem.

It has an amazingly shaped root crops, the shape of which resembles a small person. They are popular in Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of impotence, angina pectoris, cancer and infectious diseases.

The story of amazing plants can be very long, because in many representatives of the earth's flora one can find unique properties and beauty. Some of them are very close, while others will have to go to the other side of the Earth.

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, which few people know about. Meanwhile, they really amaze with their appearance. Here are some of them.

Titanic amorphophallus (Amorphophallus titanum)

The second name is corpse lily (Corpse lily). The most unusual plant in the world makes it not only the gigantic size of the flower, but also the terrible smell that it exudes. It's good that you only have two days to smell the aroma of rotten meat and fish - this is the flowering period of this amazing plant. Another feature 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 birthplace of the titanic amorphophallus is the forests of Sumatra, where it is now almost exterminated. The plant can be seen in many botanical gardens around the world.

Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

Wolffia (Wolffia angusta)

Passiflora (Passiflora)

Amazonian Victoria (Victoria amozonica)

Nepenthes (Nepenthes)

Another predator plant, surprising with its unusual appearance, grows mainly in Asia. Climbing high on neighboring trees, this bushy vine, along with ordinary leaves, has special trapping ones that take the form 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 into the jar and rolls down its smooth surface. At the bottom is a liquid consisting of digestive enzymes and acids - real gastric juice. The inner surface of the trapping leaf is lined with wax scales that do not allow the victim to get out of the trap. Like the Venus flytrap, Nepenthes digests the insect for several days. This is one of the most unusual and impressive plants in the world.

Gidnellum Peck, or bloody tooth

An inedible mushroom native to Europe, North America and Australia, it looks like a small piece of cake topped with strawberry syrup. It is not eaten because of its very bitter taste. In addition to the amazing appearance, the mushroom also has useful properties - its pulp has an antibacterial effect and contains substances that thin the blood. Only a young plant looks unusual, the snow-white flesh of which exudes drops of a reddish liquid.

White crow, or puppet eyes

Porcupine tomato (Porcupine Tomato)

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 pluck them, because the leaves of the plant are protected by long, poisonous orange spikes. It was named tomato for fruits that 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, look very much like tiny two-centimeter ducks. In this way, the plant lures insects - male sawflies - for pollination.