The world of nature is a world of wonders, and nothing says that better than these extremely rare and shocking plant species that we came across. Not only do these species fall under the “rarest” category but are also not readily available across the planet.
Let’s take a look:
- Rafflesia Arnoldii
Also known as the “Corpse Plant,” Rafflesia Arnoldii is the world’s largest flower and one of the rarest plants ever. It is also called Corpse Plant because of its foul odour, which reminds one of rotting flesh. Yikes! This scary yet wondrous flower is found in the dense rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, Malaysia and Bengkulu.
2. Nepenthes Tenax
This one is hands down the weirdest looking plant; it grows up to a height of 100 cm with the pitcher-shaped flower at the top (about 15-cm high). Nepenthes Tenax is a rare Australian lowland plant, native to northern Queensland, and is now endangered.
3. Pennantia Baylisiana
Pennantia Baylisiana has gone down in the Guinness Book of World Records and is an extinct plant species, which means you can’t spot it easily. The controversial species also struggles from gender crises as some scientists theorize that it’s a female, while others say it’s male. Interestingly, this plant takes almost 10 whole years to fully mature—we wish our ageing process was that slow too!
4. Welwitschia
Also known as The Living Fossil Plant, Welwitschia is perhaps the wisest plant of them all. It is one of the longest living plants and is found in Africa. It has a woody, thick, and stout trunk and its growth rate is extremely slow. It is said to have lived for about 1000 to 2000 years on Earth.
5. Encephalartos Woodii
Encephalartos Woodii is now a conserved plant and it is restricted only to the botanical garden where it was transported from Zululand. It is originally found in South Africa and is considered extinct in the wild, with all existing specimens being clones.
6. Ghost Orchid
This fascinating little plant looks a lot like a tiny ghost hanging onto the bushes. Even though this is an orchid plant, it doesn’t possess any leaves and emanates an apple-like smell. It is one of the rarest orchid species in the world with pale blossoms and fragile stems. It is found only in the remote areas of Florida and Cuba.
