Top 10 Amazing Carrion Plants

Carrion is a lovely word used for rotting or decomposing flesh, and so carrion flowers tend to smell like a pile of rotten flesh. This smell is not used to ward off potential predators, but rather to attract insects. The insects are not used or consumed by the flower for nutrients, but rather, like with most flowers, they help to pollinate the flower. These flowers do not attract all insects, like butterflies and bees, but only insects actually attracted to carrion, such as carrion beetles and a variety of flies. These Putrid but fascinating flowers differ from one another in amazing ways, and it is some of those that we can look at today.

 

10. Phallaceae

The Phallaceae are a family of fungi, commonly known as stinkhorn mushrooms. Belonging to the fungal order Phallales, the Phallaceae have a worldwide distribution, but are especially prevalent in tropical regions. They are known for their foul smelling, sticky spore masses, or gleba, borne on the end of stalks called the receptaculum. The characteristic fruiting body structure—a single, unbranched receptaculum with an externally attached gleba on the upper part—distinguish the Phallaceae from other families in the Phalalles. The spore mass typically smells of carrion or dung, and attracts flies and other insects to help disperse the spores.

 

9. Helicodiceros muscivorus

Helicodiceros muscivorus (Dead horse arum lily) is an ornamental plant, native to the northwestern Mediterranean region. It reproduces the stench of rotting meat, attracting carrion-seeking blowflies which act as pollinators. One of a rare group of thermogenic plants, the Dead Horse Arum can raise its temperature by thermogenesis. This helps to lure flies into the plant, and into contact with its pollen. Interestingly, the very few thermogenic plants that do exist are mostly carrion plant (though there are a couple of exceptions).

 

8. California Dutchman’s-pipe

The California Dutchman’s-pipe, or Aristolochia californica, is a deciduous vine with purple-striped, curving, pipe-shaped flowers, which give rise to winged capsular green fruits. The flowers have a strong unpleasant odor which attracts carrion feeding insects. The insects crawl into the convoluted flower and get disoriented, leaving them with more time to pick up pollen as they wander around inside the flower, until their eventual escape. Fungus gnats are the common pollinators that fall for the dutchman’s-pipes’ deceit, as they gain absolutely nothing from the flower. Even though this plant provides nothing to its pollinators, it has been the saving grace of the Pipevine swallowtail butterfly, by being its only food source. The red spotted black caterpillars feed on the leaves, which makes them unpalatable to other predators. They then also use the flowers as a safe enclosed space to under go metamorphosis.

 

7. Starfish Flowers

The starfish flowers, or Stapelia Gigantae, is a plant from the milkweed family. It is a cactus like, succulent plant that produces large starfish shaped flowers. The flowers are flesh colored or yellow, with fine red lines running across it, and are covered with hairs. In the center of each flower is a mouth like orifice, in which the plants sex organs lie. A putrid smell is produced here, and it lures insects and flies to the center, where they can aid in pollination.

 

6. Eastern Skunk cabbage

Skunk cabbage, or Symplocarpus foetidus, is a low growing, foul smelling plant that prefers wetlands. It can be found naturally in Northern and Eastern North America, as well as in many parts of Asia. The Skunk cabbage has large broad leaves and produces 10 -15cm flowers with a mottled purple color. This plant does produce a rotting, fetid smell which is most pungent when a leaf is torn. This smell is to attract pollinators such as flies and beetles. Another interesting fact about this plant is that it is one of very few plants that exhibits thermogenesis. This means that it can generate heat, and in this case the temperatures can reach 15-35C. This allows the plant to melt its way through frozen ground, and the flowers can bloom while there is still snow. This also attracts insects that are hiding from the cold, and helps to evaporate and disperse their smell.

5. Dracunculus vulgaris

This is truly a flower that goes by many names, some of which include Dragon Arum, Black Arum, Snake Lily, Stink Lily, Black Dragon, Dragonwort and Drakondia. The scientific name is Dracunculus vulgaris, and it is native to the Balkans, Mediterranean, Europe and Anatolia. It has recently been introduced to the United States, where it has thrived. This is an amazing plant that has the most stunning flower, which is made up of a spadix which can grow up to 120cm. The spadix is initially enveloped by the spathe which is a dark purple to black color. The spathe unfolds to reveal the almost black spadix, which releases a strong scent of carrion for about a day, in which time the sexual organs are ripe and insects attracted to the smell will distribute the pollen.

 

4. Hydnora Africana

The Hydrona Africana is a root parasite that lives on the Euphorbia Hydnora. The plant is completely leafless and devoid of chlorophyll, as the whole bud is a brown color. The bud looks much like a fungi, and is not really distinguishable as a flower until it opens up to reveal a bright orange, salmon color on the inside. The bud starts to release its putrid carrion smell before it opens and attracts flies and carrion beetles to climb into the bud. They become trapped inside the bud by fine hairs all around each small opening, and they will remain trapped until the bud has fully matured, pollinated and opened up.

 

3. Pelican Flower

Aristolochia gigantea, also referred to as the Giant Pelican Flower and the Giant Dutchman’s Pipe, originally hails from Brazil and Panama. This vine boasts flowers that are red in color with intricate white markings on the single petal. Resembling a heart that has been rolled into a cone shape, this intriguing plant also has heart shaped foliage that is bright, lush green and quite glossy at times. A sizable plant, the aristolochia gigantea can grow 8 -10 feet in height, with a spread of up to 8 feet, as well. Its blossoms may even grow to be approximately 1 full foot in length. The flowers release a very strong putrid smell for when they open, and this attracts flies to help aid in the pollination process.

 

2. Rafflesia arnoldii

Amazingly both of our final two plants are commonly known as corpse flowers. The Rafflesia arnoldii is the largest individual flower in the world, and is an endemic plant that occurs only in the rainforest of Bengkulu, Sumatra Island, Indonesia and Malaysia. There are several kinds of Rafflesia in these areas, but the arnoldii is the largest at up to 1 meter/3 feet in diameter it can weigh up to 11 kg.
It lives as a parasite on the Tetrastigma vine, which grows only in primary (undisturbed) rainforests. Rafflesia lacks any observable leaves, stems or even roots, yet is still considered a vascular plant. Similar to fungi, individuals grow as thread-like strands of tissue completely embedded within, and in intimate contact with, surrounding host cells from which nutrients and water are obtained. This plant produces no leaves, stems or roots and does not have chlorophyll. It can only be seen when it is ready to reproduce. Perhaps the only part of Rafflesia that is identifiable as distinctly plant-like are the flowers; although, even these are unusual since they attain massive proportions, have a reddish-brown coloration and stink of rotting flesh, which is why it was nicknamed the “corpse flower”. This scent attracts insects such as flies, which then pollinate the rare plant. This plant should not be confused with Amorphophallus titanum (item 1).

1. Amorphophallus titanum

Amorphophallus titanum directly translated from Greek literally means misshapen Penis Giant, from the enormous misshapen phallus that sits directly in the center of the flower, and is commonly known as the Titan Arum. This is a flowering plant with the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world, and it is endemic to Sumatra. The titan arum’s inflorescence can reach over 3 meters (10 ft) in height. Like the related cuckoo pint and calla lily, it consists of a fragrant spadix of flowers wrapped by a spathe, which looks like the flower’s single petal. In the case of the Titan Arum, the spathe is green on the outside and dark burgundy red on the inside, and deeply furrowed. The spadix is hollow and resembles a large loaf of French bread. The upper, visible portion of the spadix is covered in pollen, while its lower extremity is spangled with bright red-orange carpels. The “fragrance” of the inflorescence resembles rotting meat, attracting carrion-eating beetles and Flesh Flies (family Sarcophagidae) that pollinate it. The flower’s deep red color and texture contribute to the illusion that the spathe is a piece of meat. During bloom, the tip of the spadix is approximately human body temperature, which helps the perfume volatilize; this heat is also believed to assist in the illusion that attracts carcass-eating insects.

via listverse,com

Top 10 Fascinating Carnivorous Plants

Out of all the strange plants in the world, who would have thought that you even get flesh eating plants? Well, maybe not so much “flesh” eating, as insect eating, but carnivorous none the less. All carnivorous plants can be found in areas where the soil has very little nutrients. These fascinating plants are categorized as carnivorous as they trap insects and arthropods, produce digestive juices, dissolve the prey and derive some, or most, of their nutrients from this process. The first book on these plants was written by Charles Darwin, in 1875, “Insectivorous Plants”. After further discoveries and research, it is believed that these carnivorous properties evolved on six separate occasions, from five different orders of flowering plants. These are now presented in over 630 different species of flowering plant.
There are five basic trapping mechanisms found in all these plants: Pitfall traps, Fly Paper traps, Snap traps, Bladder traps and Lobster pot traps. I would like to show you a couple of plants, using each mechanism, so that you can also see the differences between different genera.

10.Sarracenia

Sarracenia, or the North American Pitcher plant, is a Genus of carnivorous plants indigenous to the eastern seaboard, Texas, the great lakes and south eastern Canada, with most species being found only in the southeast states. It is also the first plant with a pitfall trap that we will look at.
The plant’s leaves have evolved into a funnel, with a hood like structure growing over the opening to prevent rain water from diluting the digestive juices. Insects are attracted by colour, smell and a nectar-like secretion on the lip of the pitcher. Slippery footings, aided in at least one species, by a narcotic drug lacing the nectar, causes insects to fall inside where they die and are digested by proteases and other enzymes

9. Nepenthes

Nepenthes, tropical pitcher plants or monkey cups, are another genus of carnivorous plants with pitfall traps. There are about 130 species that are wide spread, and can be found in China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Madagascar, Seychelles, Australia, India, Borneo and Sumatra. The nickname “monkey cups” comes from the fact that monkeys have often been observed drinking rain water from them.
Most species of Nepenthes are tall creepers (10-15m), with a shallow root system. From the stem you will often see sword like leaves growing, with a tendril (often used for climbing) protruding from the tip of the leaf. At the end of the tendril, the pitcher forms first as a small bulb, which then expands and forms the cup. The trap contains fluid, produced by the plant, which may be watery ors syrupy and is used to drown and digest the insects. The lower part of the cup contains glands that absorb and distribute nutrients. Most of these plants are small and tend to trap only insects, but some larger species, such as Nepenthes Rafflesiana and Nepenthes Rajah, have been documented to catch small mammals like rats.

 

8. Genlisea

Genlisea, better known as the corkscrew plant, is made up of 21 species and generally grows in wet terrestrial to semi aquatic environments, and are spread across Africa, central and South America.
Genlisea are small herbs with yellow flowers that make use of lobster pot traps (Traps that are easy to enter but impossible to exit, like by use of small hairs growing towards the entrance or in this case, the ever forward propelling spiral). These plants have two distinct types of leaves – photosynthetic leaves above ground, and specialized underground leaves to attract, trap and digest minute organisms, like protozoans. These underground leaves also perform the duties of roots, like absorbing water and anchorage, as the plant does not have any. These underground leaves form hollow tubes under the ground, these tubes have a forward propelling corkscrew shape, and with the aid of constant water flow, small microbes can make their way into these tubes, but cannot find a way out again. When they reach the correct part of the tubes, they will be digested and absorbed.

 

7.Darlingtonia Californica

Darlingtonia Californica, also called the California Pitcher plant or the Cobra Lilly, is the sole member of the darlingtonia genus, and is native to Northern California and Oregon. They grow in bogs and seeps with cold running water and, due to its rarity in the field, it is designated as uncommon.
The leaves of the Cobra Lily are bulbous and form a hollow cavity, with a opening situated underneath a swollen, balloon like structure and two pointed leaves hanging off the end like fangs. Unlike most pitcher plants, the Cobra Lilly does not make use of a pitfall trap, but rather lobster pot traps. Once inside, insects are confused by the large light speckles allowed to shine through the plant. When they land, there are thousands of fine dense hairs that grow inwards, they can follow the hairs deeper towards the digestive organs, but they cannot turn around or move backwards to escape.

6.Utricularia

Utricularia, or collectively known as bladderworts, is a genus of carnivorous plants consisting of about 220 species. They occur in fresh water and wet soil as terrestrial or aquatic species, on every continent accept Antarctica.
They are the only carnivorous plants that make use of bladder traps. Most species have very small traps, in which they can catch only minute prey, like protozoa. Traps can range from 0.2mm – 1.2cm, with larger traps, trapping larger prey like water fleas and even small tadpoles.
The traps have small trigger hairs attached to a trapdoor. The bladder, when set, is under negative pressure in relationship to its surrounding area. When the trigger hairs are tripped, the trap door opens up, sucks in the insect and surrounding water, and closes the door again, all in a matter of 10 thousands of a second.

5.Pinguicula

Pinguicula, or butterworts, are a group of carnivorous plants that use sticky, glandular leaves to lure, trap and digest insects. The nutrients from the insects supplement the poor mineral content of the soil. There are roughly 80 species that can be found throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia.
The leaves of the butterwort are succulent and usually bright green or pinkish in color. There are two special types of cells found on the top side of the butterwort leaves. One is known as a penduncular gland, and consists of secretory cells on top of a single stalk cell. These cells produce a mucilaginous secretion which forms visible droplets across the leaves surface, and acts like flypaper. The other cells are called sessile glands. They lie flat on the leaves surface and produce enzymes like amylase, esterase and protease, which aid in the digesting process.
Where some butterwort species are carnivorous all year round, many types form a tight winter rosette, which is not carnivorous. When summer comes, it brings with it new blooms and a new set of carnivorous leaves.

4.Drosera

Drosera, commonly known as sundews, comprises one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These can be found widely spread on every continent accept for Antarctica. Sundews, (depending on what species) can form either prostrate or upright rosettes, ranging from 1cm to 1m in height, and can live up to 50 years.
Sundews are characterized by movable glandular tentacles, topped with sweet sticky secretions. When an insect lands on the sticky tentacles, the plant is able to move more tentacles in the direction of the insect to trap it further. Once trapped, small sessile glands will digest the insect and absorb the resulting nutrients, which can then be used to aid growth.

3.Byblis

Byblis, or rainbow plant, is a small genus of carnivorous plant native to Australia. The name rainbow plant comes from the attractive appearance of their mucilage covered leaves in the sun. Even though these plants look similar to the Drosera and Drosophllum, they are not related in any way and can be distinguished by zygomorphic flowers with five curved stamens.
The leaves have a round cross section, and they tend to be very elongated and tapered at the end. The surface of the leaves are completely covered in glandular hairs that release a sticky mucilaginous substance, which in turn traps small insects on the leaves or tentacles as a passive flypaper trap.

 

2. Aldrovanda vesiculosa

Aldrovanda vesiculosa, also known as the waterwheel plant, is a fascinating rootless, carnivorous, aquatic plant. It generally feeds on small aquatic vertebrates, using a trap mechanism called a snap trap.
This plant consists mainly of free floating stems, reaching 6 – 11cm in length. The 2-3mm trap leaves grow in whorls of 5-9, in close succession along the plant’s central stem. The traps are attached to petioles, which contain air, and assists in floatation. This is a very fast growing plant and can reach 4-9mm per day, in some instances even producing a new whorl every day. As the plant grows from one end, the other end will continuously die off.
The traps basically consists of two lobes which fold together to make the snap traps. The openings of the trap point outwards, and are covered in a fine coating of trigger hairs, which will cause the trap to snap shut around any prey that comes too close. The trap closes in only 10 milliseconds, making it one of the fastest examples of plant movement in the animal kingdom.

1.Dionaea Muscipula

Dionaea Muscipula, more commonly known as a Venus flytrap, is probably the most well-known carnivorous plant and it feeds mainly on insects and arachnids.
The Venus flytrap is a small plant that has 4-7 leaves that grow from a short subterranean stem. The leaf blade is divided into two regions: a flat, long, heart shaped, photosynthesis capable petiole, and a pair of terminal lobes, hinged at the midrib, forming the trap which is actually the true leaf. The inner surfaces of these lobes contain a red pigment and the edges secrete mucilage.
These lobes exhibit rapid plant movement by snapping shut when special sensory hairs are stimulated. The plant is so advanced that it can tell the difference between live stimulus and non-living stimulus. The lobes snap shut in about 0.1 seconds. They are fringed by stiff thorn-like protrusions or cilia, which mesh together and prevent large prey from escaping. Once prey is unable to escape and the inner surfaces of the lobes are continuously being stimulated, the edges of the lobes grow or fuse together, sealing the trap and creating an enclosed “stomach” in which digestion and absorption can take place.


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Victoria Amazonica, the World's Largest Lotus

Victoria amazonica water lily is a genus largest in the world, and floating in the shallow waters of the river basin amazon. The diameter of the leaves can grow more than 3 meters and weight can reach 31 kgterbesar that exist in the world, and floating in shallow water Amazon River basin. The diameter of the leaves can grow more than 3 meters and weighing 31 kg could reach

This giant lotus also called sakah one queen victoria regia victoria in England, when found by adventurer named Robert Schomburgk in 1836.

The smallest aquarium in the world

 Russian miniaturist Anatoly Konenko is developing a small painting for over 30 years.
Here is another of his work, but it's not a picture, and the smallest aquarium in the world.
Its size is 30 x 24 x 14 mm, and there only 10 grams of water.Aquarium filled with sand and stones, live in it are very small fish in an aquarium even has a cleaning system so that its residents feel comfortable.

Famous Places in the reflection of bubbles

 

Beautiful view of famous places in the eye of reflection.