Hi,
Thought this might be interesting.
With regards,
Neil Soares.
When spring is in full swing, there is no denying how beautiful the world
looks. The trees get new leaves and with them come an array of colorful
flowers. Here are the list of rare, endangered and in some cases extinct in the
wild flowers. The reason most of these carry the title of rare, is because
humans do not have the ability to work in perfect harmony with nature.
Regardless of what drove them to become rarities, the following plants are far
and few between, and having the opportunity to see one for yourself should be a
celebrated occurrence.
10. Jade Vine - Strongylodon macrobotrys
The jade vine is a rare woody vine native to the tropical rainforests of the
Philippines. It is a member of the pea and bean family and is closely related
to kidney beans. The plant carries claw shaped flowers which grow from hanging
trusses; they can reach up to three meters in length. The flower's color can
vary from blue green to mint green. The species has proven extremely difficult
to propagate, and is considered an endangered species due to the destruction of
its habitat and a decrease in natural pollinators.
9. Corpse Flower - Rafflesia arnoldii
This fascinating flower is found mainly in low lying tropical rainforests of
Indonesia. This is one of the world's rarest, most endangered and largest
flowers and it can reach a total width of over a meter. The Rafflesia's
survival is totally dependent on a specific vine called the Tetrastigma vine.
As the Rafflesia is a bodiless, stemless, leafless, rootless parasite, it
requires the vine for nourishment and support. It is also a carrion plant,
which means that it releases a pungent rotten flesh smell when in bloom to
attract flies and carrion beetles to aid in pollination. Once in bloom, the
flower will only last about a week before dying.
8. Gibraltar Campion - Silene tomentosa
This species of Campion is particularly rare and is only found on the high
cliffs of Gibraltar. This plant was believed extinct by the entire scientific
community outside Gibraltar in the 1980s but the Gibraltar botanical section
knew there were a few specimens left. Sadly, by 1992 all traces of the plant
had vanished and it was declared extinct. In 1994 a single specimen was
discovered by a climber on the inaccessible cliffs and the species came back to
life. It was propagated at the millennium seed bank and specimens are grown at
The Almeda Gibraltar Botanic Gardens as well as the Royal Botanic Gardens in
London.
7. Franklin Tree - Franklinia alatamaha
This tree is a part of the tea family but is the sole species in its genus and
a very rare flowering plant. The tree is native to the Altamaha river valley in
Georgia, but has been extinct in the wild since the early 19th century. In fact
this beautiful tree is only known today because of the Bartram family, who were
avid horticulturists and propagated the tree before its extinction in the wild.
The plant, which has fragrant white blooms and leaves that turn into a bright
red color in fall, is now a popular ornamental plant. All the examples of this
tree today stem from one of the trees propagated by the Bartram's.
6. Parrot's Beak - Lotus berthelotii
This is a beautiful flower that has been classed as exceedingly rare since
1884. It is believed to be completely extinct in the wild, but a few
individuals might have survived. This stunning plant is endemic to the Canary
Islands and is believed to have originally been pollinated by sunbirds, which
have long since become extinct in the Canary Islands. This could help to
explain the scarcity of the plant. Experiments have been undertaken to find new
pollinators for the flowers, in hopes that they can successfully be
reintroduced to the Islands, but as of 2008, no fruit had been successfully
produced. The Parrot's beak is however cultivated in the horticulture trade,
which can allow even you to own one!
5. Chocolate Cosmos - Cosmos atrosanguineus
This is a dark red to brown species of Cosmos, native to Mexico. Sadly it has
been extinct in the wild for over a hundred years. The species survives today
as a single non fertile clone, which was created in 1902 by vegetative
propagation. The flowers which are produced by the plant are a rich deep red to
brown color and grow to about 3-4 cm in diameter. The flowers have a lovely
vanillin fragrance in the summer (also found in vanilla beans, some coffee
beans and some cacao beans), which also makes it a wonderful ornamental plant.
4. Kokai - Kokai cookei
This is an extremely rare tree, endemic to Hawaii. It was discovered in 1860,
at which time only three specimens could be found. The tree proved difficult to
propagate, and by 1950, after the last seedling died, it was deemed extinct. In
1970 a sole survivor was found, which was sadly destroyed in a fire in 1978.
Luckily one of the branches of that last remaining tree was saved, and grafted
into 23 trees that exist today, all of which are situated in various places in
Hawaii. The Kokai is a small tree that grows to about 10-11 meters high. Their
most striking feature has to be the hundreds of bright red flowers that mature
trees produce annually. Sadly that is a rarity which few will be privileged to
see.
3. Yellow and Purple Lady Slippers - Cypripedium calceolus
This is an extremely rare type of wild orchid found across Europe. Britain's
only example of this plant, which used to be more common and widespread, can be
found on a golf course and has been under strict police protection since 1917.
A single cutting can be sold for US$5000, which is shocking as the plant is
very difficult to propagate. Its seeds bear no nourishment for the growing
plant, so it lives in a symbiotic relationship with a specific type of fungus,
which provides it with nourishment, until the adult leaves can produce enough
nourishment for the plant, at which time the fungus will also live off it.
There are many types of Lady slipper orchids, many of which are rare. This
specific type, has dark purple to almost red brown tendrils with a bright
yellow slipper or moccasin.
2. Ghost Orchid - Epipogium aphyllum
The Ghost orchid is a fascinating rare plant that was presumed extinct for
almost 20 years, only recently did it rear its head again. The plant is so rare
because it is basically impossible to propagate. It has no leaves, does not
depend on photosynthesis and does not manufacture its own food. Like the Lady
slipper, it needs a specific fungus in close contact with its root system,
which feeds it. The Ghost orchid never grows leaves, and will therefore always
depend on the fungus for its nourishment. The Ghost orchid can live underground
for years, without showing any external signs and will only bloom when all
conditions are optimum. This explains why some orchid enthusiasts search for
years and years just to have a glimpse of this elusive flower.
1. Middlemist Red - Middlemist camellia
This is probably the rarest flowering plant in the world as there are only 2
known examples. One can be found in a garden in New Zealand and the other is
situated in a greenhouse in Britain. The plant was originally brought to
Britain from China by John Middlemist (after whom the plant was named) in 1804.
It has since been completely wiped out in China. The plant in Britain remained
barren for years and only started bearing flowers recently. The flowers are,
contrary to its name, bright pink in color and look almost rose like. It is
believed to be highly possible that more examples of this species has survived
in people's gardens, unbeknown to them, as it was once sold directly to the
public by John Middlemist.
BEST REGARDS,
_._,_.___
