Stefan F. Wirth

Stefan F. Wirth

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Stefan F. Wirth

@wirthstef

24 Dec 2025

Plants of the #Rafflesiaceae (#Malpighiales, Rosids) are #biologically #interesting, but also morphologically striking and impressive. They include the largest #blossoms in the #plantkingdom. Although the flowers may be visually pleasing to the human observer, closer inspection reveals a familiar color palette, albeit for rather unpleasant reasons. It is reminiscent of dead flesh, i.e., #rotting #carcasses. This is an #evolved #strategy in which a plant imitates something both visually and through its activity (= #mimicry). Rafflesiaceae not only look like animal carcasses, but they also #smell like them. Through this mimicry, the plant attracts #carrionflies, which then carry out #pollination. The #seeds, on the other hand, are #dispersed by somewhat larger animals, such as #rodents. These plants are #endoparasites of the plant genus #Tetrastigma (#Vitaceae), meaning they do not photosynthesize or absorb nutrients from the soil. Instead, they are connected to their host and obtain photosynthetic products, minerals, and water from it. A rare example from this taxon is #Sapria #himalayana, which practices a strong form of this parasitism. It is connected to the phloem and xylem of the host plant via its root-like organs (#haustoria). It is widespread in the Eastern #Himalayas (see X link of W. Chen, 2025). The authors J. Molina et al. (2024) were the first to study the #microbial #partners of a species, namely #Rafflesia #speciosa, within the Rafflesiaceae. By comparing the bacterial fauna in sections of the host plant with that of Rafflesia seeds, they found that the seeds possess #bacterialprofiles that correspond to those of the host plant. According to the authors, these bacteria appear to have been #sequestered from the #host plant. © #StefanFWirth Berlin 24 December 2025 References: X link of W. Chen, 2025 x.com/i/status/2002483963051… J. Molina et al. (2024) doi.org/10.1080/17429145.202… #Pictures: Rafflesia #arnoldii, the best known species with the largest blossoms, native to #Indonesia, #AIassisted #illustrations, edited manually, © Stefan F. Wirth, 24 December 2025

Wenbo Chen @Wenbo77

20 Dec 2025

This fascinating holoparasite belongs to the family Rafflesiaceae; it usually grows on lianas such as Vitis and Tetrastigma spp., and its relatives (afflesia spp.) in Southeast Asia have the largest flowers in the world. So excited to see it in Yunnan, China. Sapria himalayana.

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Bharat Express

Bharat Express

@BhaaratExpress

21 Dec 2025

सावधान! इस जादुई पौधे को जमीन से निकाला तो जा सकती है जान! | Bharat Express #MandrakeRoot #MysteriousPlants #MandrakeScream #NatureWonders #HarryPotterFans #Mandragora #SupernaturalNature #BotanySecrets #MythicalPlants #AmazingFacts #StrangePlants #ScienceOrMyth #PlantKingdom #MandrakePlant #UrbanLegends #MagicPlants #NatureMysteries #WorldWonders #NatureIsScary #HarryPotterMagic #Bharatexpress @radhapbaisoya

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ordinaryuncle44

ordinaryuncle44 @rdinaryuncle43

3 Sep 2025

กระเจียวบาน กระเจียวบาน 🎶🎶🎶🎶 #ดอกปทุมมา หรือ #ดอกกระเจียว จริงๆมีชื่อเรียกภาษาไทยนะ แต่จำชื่อเรียกไทยๆ ไม่ได้แล้วหละ #siamtulip #flowers #naturephotos #NaturePhotography #nature #NatureLover #plants #plantkingdom

Regional Science Centre - Rajkot

Regional Science Centre - Rajkot @RSCRajkot

30 Apr 2025

"Day2 of #SummerScienceActivity at @RSCRajkot! Students explored "Let's Know Our Living World Around Us" through "#PlantKingdom" activity! Fieldwork, sample collection, leaf types, Venation study & more! Discovering the wonders of nature! #RSCRajkot #SummerScience"

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I-Seed_project

I-Seed_project @iSeed_project

30 Aug 2024

At PICK GALLERY in #Turin,#photographer Christian Velcich presented 'The Verdant Gaze,' exploring #scientific approaches to the #plantkingdom that have inspired researchers past and present. Some shots were taken during a visit in our labs @IITalk #ArtExhibition #Botany @eUeic

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Vizgen

Vizgen

@vizgen_inc

31 Jul 2024

🌿#SpatialTranscriptomics has been extensively used to study mammalian cells; only a handful of studies have applied it to plants. Learn how researchers at the @EarlhamInst are pioneering #SpatialTranscriptomics in the #PlantKingdom using the MERSCOPE. 📖hubs.ly/Q02JzRc-0

Applying spatial transcriptomics in plants

It is a revolutionary new way of looking at cells that is already having an impact across medical science. Now, the close-up lens of spatial transcriptomics is being turned to plants.

earlham.ac.uk

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Working Class Investor

Working Class Investor @class_investor

22 May 2024

Congratulations to @BioHarvestBHSC and all the Shareholder partners on hitting 800 Reviews on @amazon 🏆#Hearthealth #Resveratrol #Reviews #Tea #Coffee #plantkingdom

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