Gidnora African - decorative flowering plant, which has a truly strange "appearance". Belongs to one of the rarest representatives of flora on the planet. Finding a hidnor in the African savannah is quite difficult. What does the plant look like? What lifestyle does this representative of the plant world lead? What role does African hydranium play in ecosystems? Answers to these and other questions can be obtained from our material.
What is a plant?
At first glance at the African hydnora it is difficult to imagine that this organism is a plant. Outwardly, it looks more like a mushroom. In reality, hydnor belongs to the genus of so-called root parasites. The plant is a member of the hydornor family. Botanists for a long time could not figure out which category the body should be assigned to. Recent studies at the molecular level have shown that plants from the hydnoric family are angiosperms of the flora. They also decided to include here such a primitive species as the African gidnora.
Flower
The terrestrial part of the plant African hydnorum is presented in the form of a massive flower. The latter is able to grow up to 15 cm high. Until this structural element has blossomed, it is outwardly practically indistinguishable from a large fungus that has a short stalk. The outer peel has an earthy, brownish-gray hue. Over time, the flower blooms, splitting into three large petals. The inner part of the plant is able to amaze the imagination. The pulp of the flower has a bright red, and sometimes a rich orange tint.
Gidnora African has a juicy fleshy structure. Several holes form in the pulp. Thus, the flower takes the form of a body with peculiar sepals, which are usually connected at the apex. In the lower part, the petals form a short tube, where the anthers of the plant are located. Gidnors of African flowers do not possess stamens that are present in the most numerous representatives of the plant world. The flower contains a special cavity designed for the nucleation and maturation of eggs. The latter are converted into seeds over time.
Breeding
Gidnora is a little-known African predator. During flowering, the plant begins to exude an intense smell, which is vaguely reminiscent of the smell of rotten meat. Due to this feature of hydor attracts the attention of numerous insects. The plant is considered a predator due to the fact that the edges of the petals are decorated with filiform limiters, which can connect the gaps formed between the sepals. When this happens, the inside of the plant becomes a trap for insects.
Most often, dung beetles are the victims of the flower. Attracted by a specific smell, insects are prisoners of the plant and are not able to get out of the hollow core. Gidnora keeps beetles in the middle for several days. This time is enough for the insects to collect pollen on their own body, which is concentrated in the lower junction of the petals.
However, unlike other predatory plants, hydorn does not digest its victims. The threadlike petal guides stretch over time. Beetles that were trapped, go free. Pollen, randomly collected by insects, is transferred to other gidnory flowers. Thus, their fertilization occurs.
Rhizome
It would seem that the African hydorn consists of one flower. However, massive petals are only a ground element of the plant. A significant part of this organism is hidden from the eyes and is underground. Rhizomes gidnory firmly attached with special suction cups to the body of the host plant. As a result, it begins to receive the necessary nutrients for life and rapid development. As you can see, this amazing flower is not only a predator, but also a parasite.
It is worth noting that the growth of the root of the gidnara is extremely slow. For this reason, it is considered a great success to see the formed flower of a plant on the surface. This happens only after the roots are firmly connected to the body of the host plant and form a branched network.
