Published May 25, 2021, 10:30 AM
Martino Adamo, a plant researcher, and Stefano Mammola, an ecologist, conducted an analysis on scientific papers about 113 plant species growing in the Southwestern Alps. Their goal is to see if the physical features of plants are contributing factors to the number of scientific studies about them.
The duo found that most species with a higher risk of extinction are the ones less studied. The external appearance of plants is one of the major contributors to this.
Adamo and Mammola’s research suggests that pleasant-looking species have a higher appearance in scientific journals than the unconventional or unattractive ones. For example, blue flowers are more likely to be studied than those plants with brown or green-colored blooms.
7 Weird and Wonderful Plants Discovered in 2020 Jan 10, 2021 It seems appropriate that the world’s ugliest orchid made its debut in 2020. Photography Rick Burian
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For many, 2020 was a terrible year. But if you ask a botanist, they would probably tell you it wasn’t all that bad.
In the domain of plant sciences, 2020 was rife with new discoveries. Scientists named more than 150 new plant and fungi species last year from a flower described as the ugliest orchid in the world to a plant resembling a pile of uncooked French fries.
In case you missed them, we’ve compiled a short list of some of the wackiest-looking plants discovered in 2020.
Gastrodia in humid evergreen forests in southeast Madagascar.
The flower of
Established by Robert Brown in 1810,
Gastrodia is a genus of terrestrial leafless orchids in the family Orchidaceae.
Commonly known as potato orchids, it includes over 90 species found in the Old World tropics, mostly in Australasia across to the Pacific islands, but with several species in tropical Africa and Madagascar, and one endemic in the Mascarenes.
During their life cycle, the potato orchids remain underground most of the time, emerging only to flower or sometimes just to set fruit.
The name refers to the belly-like appearance of the floral tube and mentum in some of the
Namibia s frying pan plant and world s ugliest orchid are among plants new to science in 2020 Dec 20, 2020, 01:32 PM
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Rick Burian/RBG Kew
Meet Gastrodia agnicellus, recently categorised by scientists, and also known as the ugliest orchid in the world.
The plant has no leaves or photosynthetic tissue, meaning it s a shiny off-brown and looks like a gaping, toothless mouth.
It s one of
Many of the other plants that are new to science this year are easier on the eye.
A flower previously unknown to science has been named by botanists - but it s more easily remembered by its nickname as the world s ugliest orchid.
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The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew (RBG Kew), located in the U.K., has awarded the title of “ugliest orchid in the world” to
Gastrodia agnicellus. And while the orchid, named after its home forest in Madagascar, quite likely deserves that title, it also serves as an important reminder: Things that are hard on the eyes can still be great for the nose.
CNN reported on the announcement of the ugly orchid, which RBG Kew made in a recent blog post. The title’s not certified by Guinness World Records or anything how would it be, technically speaking? but if you can find an uglier orchid, we’ll applaud you.