Some of the most interesting plants are the carnivorous plants, like pitcher plants, Venus fly

traps, and sundew plants, which trap insects, other invertebrates, and even small vertebrates,
and then digest them. These are probably familiar in some form to most people - Venus fly traps
especially, for their dramatic snapping when their prey lands on their sensitive pads. Trapping
prey is very energy intensive, so they could only have evolved in an environment where the
benefits of carnivory would outweigh the costs.


The "living stones" of the succulent genus Lithops are fascinating for their ability to survive with
extremely low rainfall or moisture in their southern African environment. Their leaves are often
brown or creamy colored, but when they can flower rather brilliantly under the right conditions.

The resurrection fern is a species of fern that can survive long droughts by shriveling up into a
desiccated brown ball. However, when it rains, the leaves unroll, the plant turns green, and it
looks just like it did before.



There's also the rafflesia. These giant stinking behemoths that can reach more than 3 ft in
diameter, these flowers give off the odor of rotting flesh to attract fly pollinators. Strangely
enough, they're also an official state flower in Sabah, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
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Trigger plants

Looks pretty standard. But check this out, from Wikipedia:
The pollination mechanisms of Stylidium and Levenhookia are unique and highly specialized. In
Stylidium the floral column that consists of the fused stamen and style springs violently from one
side (usually under the flower) when triggered, which deposits the pollen on a visiting insect.
In other words, it slaps its pollinator.


Pilostyles thurberi is the world's smallest flower. Wikipedia says:

It is a tiny parasitic plant, only a few millimeters long, which lives in the stem tissues of its host
plants, species of legume shrubs, often of genus Psorothamnus, especially dyebush
(Psorothamnus emoryi). It has no roots, leaves, or chlorophyll, obtaining its water and nutrients
from the host. It grows completely within its host until it blooms, sending tiny flowers through the
surface of the host plant.

Seagrass
The flowering plant equivalent to the cetaceans: they secondarily returned to the oceans, despite
having originated on land. That's always a very interesting evolutionary path, seeing as how they
have to flower and pollinate underwater. They also have the largest pollen of the flowering plants
(they're long and thread-like).

Asarum (wild ginger)

The only plant known that is pollinated by ants.

Impatiens

For their seed dispersal mechanism: once the seeds have matured, a single touch will cause the
seed pod to explode and spread the seeds several meters in all directions.
Cabbage
It might seem like a strange choice, but cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, kale, kohl rabi and
collards are all the same species as the cabbage. It's a showcase for the power of selective
breeding. Selective breeding is the intentional breeding of plants or animals.

When bees are not the primary pollinators, flies are just as capable. However, a plant needs a
different lure to draw them in. The Corpse Flower, Amorphophallus titanum, exudes the scent
of rotting flesh. It also has the same color and temperature of flesh to add to the attraction.




Elephant Foot Yam



Guess who this little cute guy is related to? Yep, the corpse flower. Not only are they related,
they also share many characteristics. One happens to be that this guy also smells like a corpse.
These elephant foot yams vary in color, as well. Some are pure white.
This one might have the edge on the corpse flower in wackiness because it is eaten. In one
Southeast Asian culture they are grown as a delicacy.


Nepenthes "Tropical Pitcher Plants"

Monkeys have been spotted drinking from it. Rats have been spotted partially digested in it. And
some other stuff too (no, it doesn't smell like a corpse). These plants come in all sorts of varieties
and are predominately found in the same regions as some of the plants that you've already read
about. So if you want to see some interesting plants, go to the Sumatra and Borneo forests.
The diet of these things includes just about anything the right size that can fit in them. That
means lizards, termites, spiders, worms, etc. can be digested by the Nepenthes. They also have
some complex relationships with the ecosystem. Flies and mosquitoes have been known to lay
larva on them. Much of their diet comes from feces of bats, and ants have been known to eat out
of it.





Dragon's Blood Tree



One of the coolest looking trees, and its sap resembles dragons' blood. That means it's a deep
red color, and it was prized among the ancients. It can be used for stimulants and toothpaste of
all things. Luckily it survived thousands of years of everyone trying to collect it, which is saying a
lot since it is only found on the island of Socotra, an island in the Indian Ocean.
The canopy looks like that because its environment doesn't have much soil. The canopy acts as
an umbrella to shade the bottom of the tree. This reduces evaporation. Also, the trees tend to
bunch together because the shade helps seedling grow.

Hydnora Africana



This looks like it could be found on a different planet in a sci-fi movie. Then again, what science
fiction writer could create such a monster? This grows completely underground except for the
flower ("flower") that has such a distinct shape. It is shaped like that in order to maximize the
ability for hairs on the "flower" to direct beetles to its unpleasant center.
Why would beetles want to go near that? Well, because it smells like poop. The dung beetle is
attracted to it, and many a dung beetle have been trapped in the center. I know what you're
thinking. Cydro, will you lay off with the carnivorous plants? Well, it doesn't even eat them. It
traps them until the flower is completely mature. The flower then releases all the beetles with so
much pollinating and reproduction potential. The male and female Hydnoras have different
receptors for this pollination, so the beetles have to come across another Hydnora for it to work.

Dracunculus Vulgaris



This one smells bad for a day, and it has been described as more of a rotting smell. Anyway, it
smells to attract flies which in turn pollinate it. This one is peculiar because it is found in Europe,
not Southeast Asia. It is severely poisonous as well. So look, don't touch!