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Updated by Alejandra Rodriguez on Feb 03, 2021
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Top Ten Rarest Plants

These plants may go exting before you can even blink.

1

Dragons Blood Tree (Dracaena cinnabari)

Dragons Blood Tree (Dracaena cinnabari)

This tree is part of the Asparagaceae family and is native to Yemen. The locals use this tree as a food source for livestock because the berries in portions improve the health. However, too many berries can kill find a balance if you choose to eat them. The name Dragon's Blood comes from the red resin which has been used in traditional medicine. This plant is going extinct due to climate change drying up the soil.

“Dragon's Blood Tree.” Global Trees, globaltrees.org/threatened-trees/trees/socotra-dragon-tree/.

2

Courpse Flower (Amorphophallus Titanum)

Courpse Flower (Amorphophallus Titanum)

This plant is part of the arum family, with its name coming from the smell it gives off when it blooms mimicking the smell of rotting meat or a rotting corpse. This plant is native to the Sumatra rainforest but is grown in many botanic gardens. This flower can take from 4-10 years before flowering again and bloom only last between 24 and 48 hours. This is one of the largest flowers growing an average of almost 10 feet.

Petruzzello, Melissa. "Titan arum". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Jul. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/plant/Titan-arum. Accessed 29 January 2021.

3

Quiver Tree (Aloidendron dichotomum)

Quiver Tree (Aloidendron dichotomum)

This tree is found in South Africa and parts of Namibia. Part of the Asphodelaceae family and can grow to be 9 meters tall. Was named the Quiver Tree because the branches are hallow and have been used to make arrow quivers. This tree has been used to treat asthma and tuberculosis with the roots. As with a lot of endangered plants, climate change is to blame.

“Quiver Tree.” Global Trees, globaltrees.org/threatened-trees/trees/quiver-tree/.

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4

Queen of the Night- Kadupul Flower (Epiphyllum Oxypetalum)

Queen of the Night- Kadupul Flower (Epiphyllum Oxypetalum)

This flower has an ancient myth behind it. "This myth states that when the flowers of the kadupul bloom, the Nagas (a semi-divine race in buddisism) come down to present this flower to Buddha on the Holly mountain of Sri Pada." This is one of the most expensive flowers in the world and used for it sent in fancy perfumes.

Calyx, Lily. “Kadupul Flower - The Most Expensive Flower in the World.” Pollen Nation, Pollen Nation, 11 July 2019, www.serenataflowers.com/pollennation/kadupul-flower-expensive-flower-world/.

5

Western Underground Orchid (Rhizanthella Gardnerni)

Western Underground Orchid (Rhizanthella Gardnerni)

This flower is native to western Australia and lives its entire life underground. It has the fewest chloroplast genes of any plant. Because of its unique lifestyle, it has lost its ability to photosynthesize. This plant gets most of its nutrients from a fungus that lives in its roots. This fungus is very crowded and there isn't mushroom in there. :)

The Odd Life of an Underground Orchid. earthsky.org/earth/the-odd-life-of-an-underground-orchid. Accessed 2 February 2021

6

Rothschild's Slipper Orchid (Paphiopedilum Rothschildianum)

Rothschild's Slipper Orchid (Paphiopedilum Rothschildianum)

This is the most expensive orchid in the world and one stem can sell for about $5,000 on the black market. This flower is native to Kinabalu Park and can take 15 years to grow and bloom. This flower is an angiosperm and has to pollinate to reproduce. On the sepal (the male reproductive organ) there is the stamen which holds the anther and the filament. This part of the reproductive system is responsible for the pollen; the anther makes the pollen and carries it to the pistil (female reproductive organ) This leaves the pollen on the stigma. When the new pollen comes the pollen is carried down the style (tube type organ) and goes to the ovary. The petals are a deep red color to attract pollinators (bees and such) to the flower for reproduction.

https://www.citationmachine.net/mla8/cite-a-website/new

7

Attenborough's Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes Attenboroughii)

Attenborough's Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes Attenboroughii)

This carnivorous plant has one of the largest pitchers coming in at 30x16cm, about the size of an American football. The Attenborough's is native to the Island of Palawan in the Philippines. The pitcher liquid consists of a digestive liquid and the shape of the plant traps the bugs in it.

Communications, ESF Office of. “Attenborough's Pitcher Top 10 New Species of 2010.” Attenborough's Pitcher |2010 Top 10 Species | ESF Top 10 New Species, 2018, www.esf.edu/top10/2010/01.htm.

8

Suicide Palm (Tahani Spectabilis)

Suicide Palm (Tahani Spectabilis)

This plant is native to Madagascar and was only recently discovered and was almost immediately placed on the red list. This plant only flowers once in its lifetime and is the largest flowering plant. When the palm flowers get pollinated by pollinators such as bees and birds, the now fertilized seed falls to grow another plant. However, once this plant flowers it basically dies, this flowering only happened once the palm is 30-50 years old.

Thompson, Andrea. “Massive Self-Destructive Palm Found on Madagascar.” LiveScience, Purch, 16 Jan. 2008, www.livescience.com/2233-massive-destructive-palm-madagascar.html#:~:text=Hundreds%20of%20tiny%20flowers%20that,birds%20and%20develop%20into%20fruit.

9

Wood's Cycad (Encephalartos Woodii)

Wood's Cycad (Encephalartos Woodii)

This plant is extinct in nature because there are no more female species. That makes this almost the rarest plant. This plant is only grown in greed houses and other controlled environments. Because of that one can use a Photometer to measure the amount of water transported through the leaves. The water in the leaves is able to move from the roots to the leaves because water molecules coheir to each other and dear to the walls of the plant as they evaporate. The water is released from the stomata in the leaves of the plant; the phloem moves nutrition from the leaves of the plant to other parts of the plant.

“Encephalartos Woodii.” Encephalartos Woodii | PlantZAfrica, 2017, pza.sanbi.org/encephalartos-woodii. 2/3/2021

10

Middlemist Red (Middlemist Camellia)

Middlemist Red (Middlemist Camellia)

This is the rarest flowing plant in the world. Does not grow in the natural environments anymore, it can only be found in a New Zealand garden or in a UK greenhouse. It was taken from China to the UK then wiped out from china about 250 years ago. It's name is misleading because this flower is a deep pink color not red, don't know why it has red in the name but it does.

“Camellia Flower – The Rarest Middlemist Red Camellia Flowers.” Arena Flowers India Flower Care Guide, 1 July 1969, www.arenaflowers.co.in/blog/most-beautiful-rarest-middlemist-red-camellia-photos-meaning/.