23 Dec 2010 - A new species of
tropical mistletoe has been described by scientists of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew in London. The research team found the plant on expedition to Mount Mabu in northern Mozambique in 2008. Now, just in time for Christmas they have confirmed that the plant is new to science. The plant tops of list of Kew's botanical discoveries of 2010, including a Vietnamese orchid and an exceptionally rare tree in Cameroon. A butterfly specialist discovered the mistletoe, and he immediately realized it was different from what he had seen in Malawi and Tanzania. Mistletoe's are "hemi-parasitic" meaning they take some of the nutrients they need from other plants. When birds eat the small white fruits, the seeds are wiped onto branches of trees, where they stick. Once germinated, the root grows into the living tissue of the tree to suck out its nutrients. In sum, they are vampires. Think about it when you kiss your beloved under the mistletoe over Christmas..
2 comments:
Water Trotter, this reminds me of how some innocuous nursery rhymes really carry very insidious themes.
Yes, i was quite .. eh .. surprised about it too!
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