By: Hendy
1
Amorphophallus titanum, The Corpse Flower
An odd looking flower that looks like it belongs on some planet in a galaxy far far away, the corpse flower is named so because it smells like a rotting corpse. [post_ads]Beauty, right? When fully matured, these things weight upwards of 200 pounds.
2
Dionaea muscipula, Venus Fly Trap
Equipped with tiny trigger hairs that know when to snap shut, the Venus fly trap is one of the few plants that are carnivorous. When triggered, the plant will snap shut, holding whatever it caught in place while it releases digestive juices that consumes the poor victim.
3
Nepenthes, Tropical Pitcher Plant
Reminiscent of the Pokemon Victreebel, these odd looking things eat a plethora of shit that you wouldn’t think plants would be eating: rats, lizards, and spiders to name a few. It basically digests anything that falls into its pouch of sap. They can be found in forests of Borneo, the Philippines, and Sumatra.
4
Vachellia Species, African Acacia
This is the kind of beautiful tree you want to dance around while listening to ‘The Circle of Life.’ Fair enough, but did you know that it actually is a killer? [post_ads_2]These trees will release ethylene gas when being grazed on. Their leaves can become toxic as a form of self defense as well, which is why in the wild, giraffes will only eat from particular Acadia trees.
5
Ficus, Strangler fig
Reminiscent of the room mate who slowly steals your cereal, this ficus (which has more than one subtropical and tropical species) is somewhat of an ‘assholian’ tree. They make their way onto different trees by essentially catching a ride on a bird and then getting dropped onto another tree. Once there, it grows roots up and down the damn thing soaking up all of its nutrients. Talk about a moocher.
6
Dracaena cinnabari, Dragon’s-Blood Tree
Named so because of the deep red sap that it produces, the dragon’s-blood tree also has a peculiar look to it. It can only be found in one place, the Island of Socotra, and has been used for centuries for its sap which was used for many things including toothpaste and as a stimulant.
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Hydnora africana, Hydnora
This plant looks almost like a delicious fruit of some sort. However, it actually smells like shit, literally. [post_ads_2]It uses its stench to lure dung beetles into its prickly center where it then traps them until it is matured. Then it releases the beetles to have them pollinate and reproduce. Clever little buggers aren’t they? Back to the idea of fruit though, these things do actually produce a type of fruit that, once matured, is somewhat similar to a potato.
8
Lithops, Living stone
There are a handful of species of these plants that almost resemble little brains. Native to Southern Africa, these plants pretend to be stones as a defense mechanism. They often come with two small leaves, and with proper care, they can grow a beautiful flower similar to a daisy.
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Victoria Amazonica
These massive water lilies can be as large as 3 meters wide. They naturally have edges that fold up in an attempt to prevent and overlapping with others of its kind. They boast beautiful flowers that change from white to pink, and can hold up to 45 kilograms in evenly distributed weight.
10
Rafflesia arnoldii, Stinking Corpse Lily
Aren’t flowers supposed to smell nice? The cool thing about this thing is that it looks like the Pokemon Vileplume. It also holds the title for the worlds largest single flower. They’re also incredibly rare, which isn’t a bad thing given the stench they produce.
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Dracunculus vulgaris, Dragon Arum
This poisonous looking monster of a plant can be found only in southern Europe. In order to attract flies to it for pollination, it releases a foul odour that is said to be similar to rotting meat. Well then.
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Drosera capensis, Cape Sundew
This South African plant is similar to the Venus fly trap in that it suffocates its prey before digesting it slowly. However, instead of a quick snap, it’ll slowly wrap its sticky “arms” around its catch. This process takes about 30 presumably painful minutes.
Courtesy : The Chive
