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>The researchers suggest the biology of the plant is so unique that it challenges the notion of plants and what they are. They conclude by suggesting Langsdorff
by kace91 6y ago
>The researchers suggest the biology of the plant is so unique that it challenges the notion of plants and what they are. They conclude by suggesting Langsdorffia is unlike any other plant in existence, and because so very little is known about it, more work is required
But what is unique and different about it? Maybe it's my ignorance of biology but I feel the article didn't explain that. I mean, the article did describe the plant but not which of its characteristics are unique.
- stinos 6y agoGood question. There's quite a bunch of other parasitic plants (and more often then not they don't look like any other plants at all, also since most lack any green color), but even though this one does look kinda special the properties described all seem to occur in other parasitic plants (as far as I'm aware).
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- AlotOfReading 6y agoOnly a casual acquaintance with parasitic plants, but the paper says > All species of Langsdorffia are highly modified parasites comprising just a series of tubers and inflorescences, and lack an ordinary stem structure and all trace of functional apical meristems. The Balanophoraceae more broadly feature a particularly complicated host-parasite vascular interface, in which the parasitic tuber appears to engulf the host plant's roots the vascular tissues of which infiltrate the parasite tissue extensively. Interestingly, all Balanophoraceae appear to lack stomata entirely, which is highly unusual in the plant kingdom beyond submerged aquatics. Additionally, they can parasitize a wide range of hosts. Most parasites are very host specific. Another interesting genus along similar lines is Pholisma, which is also not present in conservation collections and native to a very threatened environment.
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