Reading: Nature’s Strangest Plants

Nature’s Strangest Plants

1.     Hydnora

This plant looks like it might belong in a fictional planet in a sci-fi movie. The Hydnora grows completely underground except for the flower. Many beetles have been attracted into its depths by its unpleasant smell. Don’t worry, it doesn’t eat the beetles. It just keeps them until the flower is completely mature. Then the flower opens and all the beetles go into the world. The Hydnora’s fruit takes two years to mature underground and is similar in taste to a potato.

2.     Vegetable Sheep

Its name truly says it all, this plant looks like a sheep. It’s a cushion plant that has many small, very woolly leaves packed as tightly as possible. This plant survives in the harsh, rocky areas of New Zealand because its woolly leaves hold water like a sponge, prevent water being lost through drying winds, and it keeps the plant growing even with very little rainfall. The legend suggests that when Englishmen first arrived in New Zealand, their sheepdogs were so misled by these species that they actually tried to chase and herd them!

3.     Welwitschia

Welwitschia, called after the Austrian botanist who was the first to describe it, is a living fossil found in the deserts of Namibia and Angola. Its close relatives have gone extinct, and its distant relatives include pines, spruces, and firs. It has one very short trunk and two leaves — only two, no matter how old it is. They live from 400 to 1500 or even 2000 years! So, the one you can come across will probably be alive when your great-ereat-great-grandkids are alive.

4.     Venus Flytrap

Not many plants eat things other than sunlight. And even fewer are capable of quick movement. This makes the Venus Flytrap seem like it might be from another planet or something. Actually it’s from marshy areas of North and South Carolina, where the soil is poor in nutrients. From time to time the plant needs a snack. So, how does it eat? Well, with special hairs. When two hairs are touched within 20 seconds of each other the trap closes quickly. Then they do their best to prevent the beetles and spiders from escaping.

5.     Elephant Foot Yam

The Elephant Foot Yam is one of the ugliest flowers in the world and, to accompany it, has one of the worst scents you can imagine. It only blooms when mature and even so it doesn’t bloom every year. Flowers last only about 5 days. During this phase the plant generates heat which can be felt if you stick your hand inside the flower. In some cultures it is cultivated as a delicacy. It can also be ground into flour for making bread.

6.     Corpse Flower

The Corpse Flower has a strong unpleasant smell which helps prevent it from being eaten. Despite it the plant is still a very rare one and looks like it belongs in the movie Avatar. Hardly any of these plants exist in cultivation, and their blooms are rare and unpredictable, occurring once every 10 years. The plant is not actually one big flower, it’s thousands upon thousands of little male and female flowers, and may weigh up to 90 kg. The flowers produce oils, while the centre collects heat.

This plant ___________________.

A.   is used in baking

B.    comes into blossom once a decade

C.    grows in size and number quickly

D.   used to deceive domestic animals

E.    was shot in a science fiction film

F.    catches insects for food

G.   has the name of its discoverer

H.   lets the trapped insects free

Nature’s Strangest Plants

1.     Hydnora

This plant looks like it might belong in a fictional planet in a sci-fi movie. The Hydnora grows completely underground except for the flower. Many beetles have been attracted into its depths by its unpleasant smell. Don’t worry, it doesn’t eat the beetles. It just keeps them until the flower is completely mature. Then the flower opens and all the beetles go into the world. The Hydnora’s fruit takes two years to mature underground and is similar in taste to a potato.

2.     Vegetable Sheep

Its name truly says it all, this plant looks like a sheep. It’s a cushion plant that has many small, very woolly leaves packed as tightly as possible. This plant survives in the harsh, rocky areas of New Zealand because its woolly leaves hold water like a sponge, prevent water being lost through drying winds, and it keeps the plant growing even with very little rainfall. The legend suggests that when Englishmen first arrived in New Zealand, their sheepdogs were so misled by these species that they actually tried to chase and herd them!

3.     Welwitschia

Welwitschia, called after the Austrian botanist who was the first to describe it, is a living fossil found in the deserts of Namibia and Angola. Its close relatives have gone extinct, and its distant relatives include pines, spruces, and firs. It has one very short trunk and two leaves — only two, no matter how old it is. They live from 400 to 1500 or even 2000 years! So, the one you can come across will probably be alive when your great-ereat-great-grandkids are alive.

4.     Venus Flytrap

Not many plants eat things other than sunlight. And even fewer are capable of quick movement. This makes the Venus Flytrap seem like it might be from another planet or something. Actually it’s from marshy areas of North and South Carolina, where the soil is poor in nutrients. From time to time the plant needs a snack. So, how does it eat? Well, with special hairs. When two hairs are touched within 20 seconds of each other the trap closes quickly. Then they do their best to prevent the beetles and spiders from escaping.

5.     Elephant Foot Yam

The Elephant Foot Yam is one of the ugliest flowers in the world and, to accompany it, has one of the worst scents you can imagine. It only blooms when mature and even so it doesn’t bloom every year. Flowers last only about 5 days. During this phase the plant generates heat which can be felt if you stick your hand inside the flower. In some cultures it is cultivated as a delicacy. It can also be ground into flour for making bread.

6.     Corpse Flower

The Corpse Flower has a strong unpleasant smell which helps prevent it from being eaten. Despite it the plant is still a very rare one and looks like it belongs in the movie Avatar. Hardly any of these plants exist in cultivation, and their blooms are rare and unpredictable, occurring once every 10 years. The plant is not actually one big flower, it’s thousands upon thousands of little male and female flowers, and may weigh up to 90 kg. The flowers produce oils, while the centre collects heat.

This plant ___________________.

A.   is used in baking

B.    comes into blossom once a decade

C.    grows in size and number quickly

D.   used to deceive domestic animals

E.    was shot in a science fiction film

F.    catches insects for food

G.   has the name of its discoverer

H.   lets the trapped insects free

Nature’s Strangest Plants

1.     Hydnora

This plant looks like it might belong in a fictional planet in a sci-fi movie. The Hydnora grows completely underground except for the flower. Many beetles have been attracted into its depths by its unpleasant smell. Don’t worry, it doesn’t eat the beetles. It just keeps them until the flower is completely mature. Then the flower opens and all the beetles go into the world. The Hydnora’s fruit takes two years to mature underground and is similar in taste to a potato.

2.     Vegetable Sheep

Its name truly says it all, this plant looks like a sheep. It’s a cushion plant that has many small, very woolly leaves packed as tightly as possible. This plant survives in the harsh, rocky areas of New Zealand because its woolly leaves hold water like a sponge, prevent water being lost through drying winds, and it keeps the plant growing even with very little rainfall. The legend suggests that when Englishmen first arrived in New Zealand, their sheepdogs were so misled by these species that they actually tried to chase and herd them!

3.     Welwitschia

Welwitschia, called after the Austrian botanist who was the first to describe it, is a living fossil found in the deserts of Namibia and Angola. Its close relatives have gone extinct, and its distant relatives include pines, spruces, and firs. It has one very short trunk and two leaves — only two, no matter how old it is. They live from 400 to 1500 or even 2000 years! So, the one you can come across will probably be alive when your great-ereat-great-grandkids are alive.

4.     Venus Flytrap

Not many plants eat things other than sunlight. And even fewer are capable of quick movement. This makes the Venus Flytrap seem like it might be from another planet or something. Actually it’s from marshy areas of North and South Carolina, where the soil is poor in nutrients. From time to time the plant needs a snack. So, how does it eat? Well, with special hairs. When two hairs are touched within 20 seconds of each other the trap closes quickly. Then they do their best to prevent the beetles and spiders from escaping.

5.     Elephant Foot Yam

The Elephant Foot Yam is one of the ugliest flowers in the world and, to accompany it, has one of the worst scents you can imagine. It only blooms when mature and even so it doesn’t bloom every year. Flowers last only about 5 days. During this phase the plant generates heat which can be felt if you stick your hand inside the flower. In some cultures it is cultivated as a delicacy. It can also be ground into flour for making bread.

6.     Corpse Flower

The Corpse Flower has a strong unpleasant smell which helps prevent it from being eaten. Despite it the plant is still a very rare one and looks like it belongs in the movie Avatar. Hardly any of these plants exist in cultivation, and their blooms are rare and unpredictable, occurring once every 10 years. The plant is not actually one big flower, it’s thousands upon thousands of little male and female flowers, and may weigh up to 90 kg. The flowers produce oils, while the centre collects heat.

This plant ___________________.

A.   is used in baking

B.    comes into blossom once a decade

C.    grows in size and number quickly

D.   used to deceive domestic animals

E.    was shot in a science fiction film

F.    catches insects for food

G.   has the name of its discoverer

H.   lets the trapped insects free

Nature’s Strangest Plants

1.     Hydnora

This plant looks like it might belong in a fictional planet in a sci-fi movie. The Hydnora grows completely underground except for the flower. Many beetles have been attracted into its depths by its unpleasant smell. Don’t worry, it doesn’t eat the beetles. It just keeps them until the flower is completely mature. Then the flower opens and all the beetles go into the world. The Hydnora’s fruit takes two years to mature underground and is similar in taste to a potato.

2.     Vegetable Sheep

Its name truly says it all, this plant looks like a sheep. It’s a cushion plant that has many small, very woolly leaves packed as tightly as possible. This plant survives in the harsh, rocky areas of New Zealand because its woolly leaves hold water like a sponge, prevent water being lost through drying winds, and it keeps the plant growing even with very little rainfall. The legend suggests that when Englishmen first arrived in New Zealand, their sheepdogs were so misled by these species that they actually tried to chase and herd them!

3.     Welwitschia

Welwitschia, called after the Austrian botanist who was the first to describe it, is a living fossil found in the deserts of Namibia and Angola. Its close relatives have gone extinct, and its distant relatives include pines, spruces, and firs. It has one very short trunk and two leaves — only two, no matter how old it is. They live from 400 to 1500 or even 2000 years! So, the one you can come across will probably be alive when your great-ereat-great-grandkids are alive.

4.     Venus Flytrap

Not many plants eat things other than sunlight. And even fewer are capable of quick movement. This makes the Venus Flytrap seem like it might be from another planet or something. Actually it’s from marshy areas of North and South Carolina, where the soil is poor in nutrients. From time to time the plant needs a snack. So, how does it eat? Well, with special hairs. When two hairs are touched within 20 seconds of each other the trap closes quickly. Then they do their best to prevent the beetles and spiders from escaping.

5.     Elephant Foot Yam

The Elephant Foot Yam is one of the ugliest flowers in the world and, to accompany it, has one of the worst scents you can imagine. It only blooms when mature and even so it doesn’t bloom every year. Flowers last only about 5 days. During this phase the plant generates heat which can be felt if you stick your hand inside the flower. In some cultures it is cultivated as a delicacy. It can also be ground into flour for making bread.

6.     Corpse Flower

The Corpse Flower has a strong unpleasant smell which helps prevent it from being eaten. Despite it the plant is still a very rare one and looks like it belongs in the movie Avatar. Hardly any of these plants exist in cultivation, and their blooms are rare and unpredictable, occurring once every 10 years. The plant is not actually one big flower, it’s thousands upon thousands of little male and female flowers, and may weigh up to 90 kg. The flowers produce oils, while the centre collects heat.

This plant ___________________.

A.   is used in baking

B.    comes into blossom once a decade

C.    grows in size and number quickly

D.   used to deceive domestic animals

E.    was shot in a science fiction film

F.    catches insects for food

G.   has the name of its discoverer

H.   lets the trapped insects free

Nature’s Strangest Plants

1.     Hydnora

This plant looks like it might belong in a fictional planet in a sci-fi movie. The Hydnora grows completely underground except for the flower. Many beetles have been attracted into its depths by its unpleasant smell. Don’t worry, it doesn’t eat the beetles. It just keeps them until the flower is completely mature. Then the flower opens and all the beetles go into the world. The Hydnora’s fruit takes two years to mature underground and is similar in taste to a potato.

2.     Vegetable Sheep

Its name truly says it all, this plant looks like a sheep. It’s a cushion plant that has many small, very woolly leaves packed as tightly as possible. This plant survives in the harsh, rocky areas of New Zealand because its woolly leaves hold water like a sponge, prevent water being lost through drying winds, and it keeps the plant growing even with very little rainfall. The legend suggests that when Englishmen first arrived in New Zealand, their sheepdogs were so misled by these species that they actually tried to chase and herd them!

3.     Welwitschia

Welwitschia, called after the Austrian botanist who was the first to describe it, is a living fossil found in the deserts of Namibia and Angola. Its close relatives have gone extinct, and its distant relatives include pines, spruces, and firs. It has one very short trunk and two leaves — only two, no matter how old it is. They live from 400 to 1500 or even 2000 years! So, the one you can come across will probably be alive when your great-ereat-great-grandkids are alive.

4.     Venus Flytrap

Not many plants eat things other than sunlight. And even fewer are capable of quick movement. This makes the Venus Flytrap seem like it might be from another planet or something. Actually it’s from marshy areas of North and South Carolina, where the soil is poor in nutrients. From time to time the plant needs a snack. So, how does it eat? Well, with special hairs. When two hairs are touched within 20 seconds of each other the trap closes quickly. Then they do their best to prevent the beetles and spiders from escaping.

5.     Elephant Foot Yam

The Elephant Foot Yam is one of the ugliest flowers in the world and, to accompany it, has one of the worst scents you can imagine. It only blooms when mature and even so it doesn’t bloom every year. Flowers last only about 5 days. During this phase the plant generates heat which can be felt if you stick your hand inside the flower. In some cultures it is cultivated as a delicacy. It can also be ground into flour for making bread.

6.     Corpse Flower

The Corpse Flower has a strong unpleasant smell which helps prevent it from being eaten. Despite it the plant is still a very rare one and looks like it belongs in the movie Avatar. Hardly any of these plants exist in cultivation, and their blooms are rare and unpredictable, occurring once every 10 years. The plant is not actually one big flower, it’s thousands upon thousands of little male and female flowers, and may weigh up to 90 kg. The flowers produce oils, while the centre collects heat.

This plant ___________________.

A.   is used in baking

B.    comes into blossom once a decade

C.    grows in size and number quickly

D.   used to deceive domestic animals

E.    was shot in a science fiction film

F.    catches insects for food

G.   has the name of its discoverer

H.   lets the trapped insects free

Nature’s Strangest Plants

1.     Hydnora

This plant looks like it might belong in a fictional planet in a sci-fi movie. The Hydnora grows completely underground except for the flower. Many beetles have been attracted into its depths by its unpleasant smell. Don’t worry, it doesn’t eat the beetles. It just keeps them until the flower is completely mature. Then the flower opens and all the beetles go into the world. The Hydnora’s fruit takes two years to mature underground and is similar in taste to a potato.

2.     Vegetable Sheep

Its name truly says it all, this plant looks like a sheep. It’s a cushion plant that has many small, very woolly leaves packed as tightly as possible. This plant survives in the harsh, rocky areas of New Zealand because its woolly leaves hold water like a sponge, prevent water being lost through drying winds, and it keeps the plant growing even with very little rainfall. The legend suggests that when Englishmen first arrived in New Zealand, their sheepdogs were so misled by these species that they actually tried to chase and herd them!

3.     Welwitschia

Welwitschia, called after the Austrian botanist who was the first to describe it, is a living fossil found in the deserts of Namibia and Angola. Its close relatives have gone extinct, and its distant relatives include pines, spruces, and firs. It has one very short trunk and two leaves — only two, no matter how old it is. They live from 400 to 1500 or even 2000 years! So, the one you can come across will probably be alive when your great-ereat-great-grandkids are alive.

4.     Venus Flytrap

Not many plants eat things other than sunlight. And even fewer are capable of quick movement. This makes the Venus Flytrap seem like it might be from another planet or something. Actually it’s from marshy areas of North and South Carolina, where the soil is poor in nutrients. From time to time the plant needs a snack. So, how does it eat? Well, with special hairs. When two hairs are touched within 20 seconds of each other the trap closes quickly. Then they do their best to prevent the beetles and spiders from escaping.

5.     Elephant Foot Yam

The Elephant Foot Yam is one of the ugliest flowers in the world and, to accompany it, has one of the worst scents you can imagine. It only blooms when mature and even so it doesn’t bloom every year. Flowers last only about 5 days. During this phase the plant generates heat which can be felt if you stick your hand inside the flower. In some cultures it is cultivated as a delicacy. It can also be ground into flour for making bread.

6.     Corpse Flower

The Corpse Flower has a strong unpleasant smell which helps prevent it from being eaten. Despite it the plant is still a very rare one and looks like it belongs in the movie Avatar. Hardly any of these plants exist in cultivation, and their blooms are rare and unpredictable, occurring once every 10 years. The plant is not actually one big flower, it’s thousands upon thousands of little male and female flowers, and may weigh up to 90 kg. The flowers produce oils, while the centre collects heat.

This plant ___________________.

A.   is used in baking

B.    comes into blossom once a decade

C.    grows in size and number quickly

D.   used to deceive domestic animals

E.    was shot in a science fiction film

F.    catches insects for food

G.   has the name of its discoverer

H.   lets the trapped insects free