The world's rarest flower ever lost Darwin's whole life

The father of evolutionary theory Charles Darwin asserts that as a flowering plant, it is inevitable that butterflies and bees are suitable for pollination. But when facing the orchid orchid, the flower has a super-thin gallant tube that is several tens of centimeters long, he . "chokes".

Ghost orchid: The most rare and precious flower

Ghost orchid has a scientific name is Dendrophylax lindenii. They are extremely rare, estimated to have about 3,000 new worlds. Often people can only see them in wet wetlands in South Florida (USA), Cuba and the Caribbean Islands.

On the outside, the ghost orchid is like a cluster of roots sticking to the host plant. They belong to the orchid branch without leaves, the stem is only 1-4cm tall.

Of the 3,000 orchid orchids, an estimated 2000 clusters are concentrated in Florida and Cuba. Each year only about 10% bear flowers.

Orchid orchid.

Ghost orchids are white, beautiful and slender, beautiful and fragrant. Apart from the name full of ghosts, they are also called hyacinths .

Ghost orchid, especially seedlings require extremely wet living conditions, with symbiotic fungi suitable to help roots increase photosynthesis. They are both picky and hidden, so they are rare and difficult to detect.

There are a few people in the world who claim to have succeeded in growing orchids. However, it is unclear whether it is true or fake, and science has not found any cultivation and care measures. Therefore, this flower is still on the list of the most rare plants on the planet.

Owning a long and slender sepia, challenging Darwin's theory of evolution

The father of evolutionary theory Charles Darwin (1809-1882) states that all species evolved from a common ancestor. Through natural selection, they not only develop themselves but also form cooperative relationships. Accordingly, all flowering plants have animal partners to evolve to adapt to the nectar, which can help pollinate plants.

In 1862, Darwin accidentally found a Madagascar orchid (this species was then named after him, Darwin orchid, Angraecum sesquipedale). However, instead of being happy, he was "drunk" by the ultra-thin tube-shaped flowerpot, which was about 30cm long.

Even in the shortest size, ghost orchid also reaches 13cm.

According to Darwin's argument, this flower must also be covered by a honey-eating insect with a tongue up to 30cm long. But he did not know which bees or butterflies possessed the same long hose.

Even in the shortest size, ghost orchid also reaches 13cm. So in order to get the bile at the bottom, the appropriate insect also has to have a tongue that is 13cm or more long.

Until he closed his eyes, Darwin still could not prove his hypothesis in this difficult case.

It took 130 years to attest

Many scientists have spent time and effort to prove Darwin's hypothesis. People have not seen the sight of any insects sucking on the orchid nectar, but have discovered a butterfly with a super long spout, the moth Morgan (Xanthopan morganii).

The mantle of the sphinx moth Morgan is 20-35cm long, most suitable for pollinating the orchid.

The mantle of Morgan sphinx is 20-35cm long. Everyone at that time had to temporarily agree that it was the most appropriate (and only) pollinator for the ghost orchid. Until recent years, thanks to the video camera, observers have obtained the reproductive evidence of the super rare flower blooming this night.

In 2012 at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, home to Florida's ghost orchid, photographer Carlton Ward Jr is determined to relieve his passion for Darwin's soul. After scouring a ghost orchid hanging from the tree trunk, he patiently sat for 3 days, finally succeeding in capturing the first real evidence.

Also from this time, Ward became an expert in hunting and photographing moths in cooperation with ghost orchids.

In 2018, Ward received help from creator Mac Stone. At locations where ghost orchids were discovered, Stone installed the camera, accumulating about 7,000 hours of recording.

Some moth species may be the pollinators of ghost orchids.

Without success, the cameras recorded at least 5, not just one species of moths, taping into the bile-spread orchid. Of the five species, there are two species of sphinxes, Pachylia ficus and Dolba sphinxes, hyloeus when leaving, with pollen on their heads.

There are also dozens of other moths hovering around. It is possible that the number of insects that help the orchid spawn is more than the number 5.

Cocytius antaeus, a giant sphinx, a "thief" of a ghost orchid.

Interesting is that in the "Mr. Mai's matchmaker" also has a "thief", giant monk Cocytius antaeus. Thanks to owning the faucet longer than the orchid ghost orchid, it is comfortable "drinking honey pagoda" and then leave, from "pay ceremony" who gave his delicious meal.

1. Ghost orchid - expensive flower but the tree does not have a leaf