Gidnora africanus is an ornamental flowering plant that has a truly strange "appearance". It belongs to one of the rarest representatives of the flora on the planet. Finding a gidnora in the African savannah is quite difficult. What does the plant look like? What kind of lifestyle does this representative of the plant world lead? What role does African Hydnora play in ecosystems? Answers to these and other questions can be obtained from our material.
What is a plant
At first glance at the African Hydnora, it is difficult to imagine that this organism is a plant. Outwardly, it looks more like a mushroom. In reality, hydnora belongs to the genus of so-called root parasites. The plant belongs to the Hydnorrhea family. For a long time, botanists could not figure out which category the organism should belong to. Recent studies at the molecular level have shown that plants from the Hydnoraceae family are angiosperms of the flora. They also decided to include such a primitive species as the African Hydnora.
Flower
The ground part of the African Gydnora plant is presented in the form of a massive flower. The latter is able to grow up to 15 cm high. Until this structural element has blossomed, it is outwardly almost indistinguishable from a large mushroom that has a short leg. The outer skin has an earthy, brownish-gray hue. Over time, the flower blooms, dividing into three large petals. The inside of the plant is amazing. The flesh of the flower has a bright red, and sometimes a rich orange hue.
Gidnora Africana has a juicy fleshy texture. Several holes are formed in the pulp. Thus, the flower takes on the form of a body with peculiar sepals, which are usually connected at the top. In the lower part, the petals form a short tube where the anthers of the plant are located. African hydnora flowers do not have stamens, which are found in the most numerous representatives of the plant world. The flower contains a special cavity designed for the nucleation and maturation of eggs. The latter eventually transform into seeds.
Reproduction
Gidnora is a little-known African predator. During flowering, the plant begins to exude an intense smell that vaguely resembles the smell of rotten meat. Thanks to this feature, Gidnor attracts the attention of numerous insects. The plant is considered a predator due to the fact that the edges of the petals are decorated with thread-like limiters that can connectgaps formed between the sepals. When this happens, the inside of the plant becomes a trap for insects.
Most often, the victims of the flower are dung beetles. Attracted by a specific smell, insects are prisoners of the plant and are unable to get out of the hollow core. Gidnora keeps beetles in the middle for several days. This time is enough for the insects to collect pollen on their own body, which is concentrated in the lower articulation of the petals.
However, unlike other carnivorous plants, Gidnora does not digest its victims. The thread-like petal stops stretch over time. The beetles that were in the trap are released. Pollen arbitrarily collected by insects is transferred to other hydnora flowers. This is how they are fertilized.
Rhizome
It would seem that the African Gydnora consists of one flower. However, massive petals are only the ground element of the plant. A significant part of this organism is hidden from view and is underground. Hydnora rhizomes are firmly attached with special suction cups to the body of the host plant. As a result, it begins to receive the nutrients necessary for life and rapid development. As you can see, this amazing flower is not only a predator, but also a parasite.
It is worth noting that the growth of the root part of the hydnora is extremely slow. For this reason, to see the formed flower of the plant on the surfaceconsidered a great success. This happens only after the roots are firmly connected to the body of the host plant and form an extensive network.
Meaning in nature
Despite its rather repulsive appearance and disgusting smell, Gidnora is a real delicacy for animals that inhabit the African savannah. The flower of the plant is in incredible "demand" among such representatives of the local fauna as baboons, porcupines, jackals and foxes. Furthermore! People also do not mind eating the pulp of gidnora. The flower is traditionally eaten by the Bushmen, representatives of other tribal peoples. As for the rhizomes of the plant, they are used by healers in order to prepare potions for the treatment of ailments of the cardiovascular system.
