FLOWERS RESEMBLING ANIMALS
Nature is full of
surprises. From the variety of geographical mechanisms to the organisms living
in it, nature is astounding to study. The blossom of a flower, a reproductive organ, evolves with one primary purpose
- to attract pollinators like insects or birds. This function is the major
reason that some flowers have come to resemble various figures, plants or
animals. The colours of these flamboyant flowers attract insects and birds,
indicating that these flowers are full of tasty nectar. Their shapes, on the
other hand, often evolve to attract or accommodate specific pollinators while
dissuading parasites or other, less desirable pollinators.
So when Mother nature plays around, something wonderful results!
Let us have a look at these 7 flowers that bear an uncanny resemblance to animals.
1.MONKEY
ORCHID:
The scientific name of this flower
is Dracula Simia and the common name is the monkey orchid or the monkey dracula. These
aptly named flowers either have monkey faces or monkey bodies! The best thing
about them is they smell just like a ripe orange when in full blossom. The beautiful arrangement of the petals, columns, and lip
strongly resemble the face of a monkey and it blooms in any season.
It is native to the tropical highland forests of South-eastern
Ecuador and thrives at altitudes around 2,000 meters.
2.WHITE EGRET ORCHID:
Habenaria Radiata, more commonly known as the white egret flower, the fringed orchid or the sagiso is really uncanny. Its fringed petals replicate a white egret spreading its fluffy white wings ready for the take-off.
IMAGE COURTESY: www.boredpanda.com
This hardy terrestrial orchid is
native to Japan, China, Korea and Russia
3.PARROT FLOWER:
The real name of this plant is Impatiens psittacina but is more commonly known as the parrot balsam. It looks exactly like a parrot with profound lips and bears resemblance to a flying cockatoo.
The parrot flower is
native to Southeast Asia and is found extensively in Myanmar, India, and
Thailand only. The reason this plant has not successfully grown in other parts
of the world is that its pollinator is not known. It is one of those rare
flowers which cannot be grown even in the household garden.
4.FLYING
DUCK ORCHID:
Not on the water, but one will find this flying duck on the land. Caleana Major or the flying duck orchid looks like a duck in flight,
albeit a pretty weird duck. This flower is known
to attract various insects that help in the process of pollination.
The flying duck orchid
is native to East and Southeast Australia.
5.BUMBLEBEE ORCHID:
Ophrys Apifera or the bumble bee orchid looks like a female bumblebee visiting a flower and for good reason too. This sight attracts the male bee which tries to mate with the flower, in this process the bee is covered in pollens and then proceeds to spread it around. This flower also emits a female bee scent and the fake “bee” is hairy to touch.
6. MOTH ORCHID:
The
Phalaenopsis or the moth orchid is
the most common orchid due to its ease of production. This flower supposedly resembles a moth in flight, but within this gorgeous flower, there is what looks like a
curious ghost-like bird’s head guarding the nectar. Cool yet slightly creepy!
7.GREEN SQUID ORCHID:
The scientific name of the green squid orchid is Prosthechea
Cochleata and is also known as the cockleshell orchid or the clamshell orchid.
With their purple “hood” and the floating green legs, these little flowers look like baby squids swimming in the sea or like an alien
invasion floating down from the sky to herald their impending takeover of
Earth! The flowers of this orchid are unusual not just in their resemblance
to the green squids but also because of having their column above the labellum.
The green squid orchids are
found in Central America, Caribbean Basin, Florida Everglades. One interesting fact about the green squid orchid is that it is
the national flower of a small country called Belize in Central America and is
called black orchid there.
Comments
Post a Comment