40 of the World's Weirdest Flowers
I came across this site today and couldn't believe how much these flowers look like what they're named after.
http://blog.flowersacrossmelbourne.com.au/uncategorized/40-of-the-worlds-weirdest-flowers/
My favorites are 'Hooker's Lips':
Hooker Lips, Hot Lips, Flower Lips— call them what you will— there’s no guessing how this plant got its name. The bright red bits that resemble a hooker’s bright red lips are bracts, not petals. The leaf-like bracts are only in their kissable state for a few days before opening to reveal the little yellow and white flowers within. The Hooker’s Lips Plant is native to the tropical regions of Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama, but due to its popularity with collectors and the deforestation of its natural habitat it’s landed on the endangered list. Hope we don’t have to kiss this little beauty goodbye anytime soon!
And 'Devil's Hand'
If idle hands are the devil’s workshop, we’re not really sure what the Devil’s Hands are, but we sure love to look at them! Some call this tree the Monkey’s Hand or Monkey Paw, but we wouldn’t recommend making any wishes on it. The Devil’s Hand is native to Mexico where the Ancient Aztecs held it in extraordinarily high religious regard, who harvested the claw-like flowers for generations and generations. The fruit produced by this tree has an earthy taste and has been used for years in traditional medicine to treat heart disease and heart conditions.
Virgin Mary in Moon Orchid
This coastal-loving orchid comes almost exclusively in white and glitters as if covered in frost when the sunlight hits it. At first, it appears to be a typical Moth Orchid, but upon closer inspection it looks like a teeny carving of the Catholic Madonna has been placed inside. Something you may not know about the Virgin Orchid is that it makes an excellent home for ants! That’s right, the bulbous bottom of the plant and the pseudo bulbous area below new stem growth are actually hollow and filled with tunnels and caverns, making perfect natural homes for ants. Don’t worry, the ants won’t harm your plant.
Really spectacular flowers and very interesting! I certainly hope that someone, somewhere, is saving the seeds, in case these plants go extinct!
Don't you wonder what it is in those that are used for medicinal purposes? Really neat site and GREAT article! Thanks for posting it!