Peculiar plants to see with WWF in 2011
Sep 29th, 2010 by wwftravel
We’ve rounded up some of the most unusual plants you could see on a WWF trip. Whether for their size, shape, smell or eating habits, an encounter with one of these plants won’t soon be forgotten.
A rafflesia arnoldii in Sumatra. © Henrik Hansson
A scent you won’t soon forget
The rafflesia arnoldii is only found in the rain forests of Sumatra and Borneo. Its brown-orange flowers span more than three feet across, and each can weigh an incredible 22 pounds. That makes them the largest flowers in the world. The rafflesia also has earned the nickname “corpse flower” for its distinctive scent, which smells like decaying flesh.
Baobab trees in Madagascar © Martin Harvey / WWF-Canon
An African life saver
Six of the eight species of baobab tree are found only in Madagascar. Often called the “upside down tree” for its unusual shape, the baobab produces large, scented flowers. It’s also known as the “tree of life” because it can store an astounding 30,000 gallons of water in its wide trunk – critical for local nomadic people. Additionally, the tree’s fruit can be eaten, various parts of the tree are used for medicinal purposes and a hollow trunk can be used for storage or shelter. Some baobabs are said to be thousands of years old.
In Australia, the tree is found in the Kimberley region and in the Northern Territory and is commonly referred to as the boab. An Aboriginal legend says that the boab looks as though it’s upside down because the Tree God became angry with the tree, yanking it out of the ground and throwing back into the earth.
Pitchers of a pitcher plant in Borneo © Gerald S. Cubitt / WWF-Canon
Asia’s booby traps
The greatest diversity of tropical pitcher plants is found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. These carnivorous plants have a trap containing special fluid that attracts and drowns prey. While insects are the primary victims, the larger species of pitcher plants occasionally catch small vertebrates like lizards and rats.
Most pitcher plants are restricted to small ranges, and some species go decades without being seen again in the wild. They’re also known as “monkey cups” because monkeys have been seen drinking out of them.
This Welwitschia mirabilis plant is about the height of a man and approximately 1,500 years old. © Thomas Schoch
What is that thing?
Subsisting for an astounding 1,000 years old or more, the Welwitschia mirabilis plant is considered a living fossil. Only found in Namibia and Angola, the strange-looking plant consists of only two leaves – a stem base and roots. The two leaves are never shed and just continue to grow and grow.
The plant is depicted on the Namibian Coat of arms – symbolic of survival and strength.
Giant water lilies in the Peruvian Amazon © Marsea Nelson / WWF-US
A lily living large
Victoria amazonica, or the giant water lily, is a flowering plant native to the shallow waters of the Amazon River Basin, floating atop oxbow lakes and flooded grasslands. Its large pads can reach 7 feet in diameter on a submerged stalk that reaches as far down as 26 feet.
If you come across a giant water lily, be careful, as it has many sharp spines on the underside of the leaves. Originally named Victoria regia in honor of the Queen of England, its name was later changed.
A century plant in bloom © Mike Norton Dreamstime.com
A dramatic end
The misnamed century plant is the largest agave found in Big Bend National Park. Native to Mexico, the plant now grows wild in many places around the world. Remarkably, it blooms for the first and only time in its life after growing for 15 to 50 years. Its blooming spike is so large and grows so fast that all of the plant’s resources are used up, and after about a month it dies. Native Americans once used the plant’s hearts for food, and in Mexico it’s used to make alcoholic beverages.
Wow, these are amazing. I think people take plants for granted, but they really can be as amazing as wildlife. Isn’t nature marvellous?