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Some time ago, the name of the plant was very popular. Because of its characteristics of changing from pure white to transparent after encountering water, it is amazing and has a high ornamental value and scientific research value.
This picture shows the image baidu before the rain changes color
Slowly becoming transparent mountain lotus leaves, image source Baidu
Almost transparent mountain lotus leaves, image source Baidu
If you enter mountain lotus leaf on Baidu, you will get another name - horseshoe parsley. But after carefully reading the entry of horseshoe parsley, I think it should not be the mountain lotus leaf written in the picture. Because the outstanding property of rainwater transparency is not mentioned in the entire entry, Lao Zhang doubts the conclusion that mountain lotus leaf = horseshoe parsley is doubted.
So I continued to look up the information, and finally found that "mountain lotus leaf" is just a common name, and the corresponding plant is not more than one, and the small flowers that will become transparent shown in the picture should be called "Northeast Mountain Lotus Leaf" or "Skull Flower". The botanical name is Diphylleia grayi, a genus of mountain lotus leaves in the family Barberry family. There are very few species in this genus, only 3 species have been recorded, intermittently distributed in East Asia and eastern North America. There is 1 species in China - Nanfang Mountain Lotus Leaf (this name used in Flora of China Online, Northeast Mountain Lotus Leaf used by Baidu Encyclopedia, I am quite curious why it is used this way. ）
So, why do the petals of the lotus leaves in the Northeast Mountains become transparent when they meet water? In fact, it is very simple, this principle is the same as the white shirt will be transparent after wet on a rainy day, and the moisture enters the inside through the pores on the surface, just like the cloth that absorbs the water, because it is filled with moisture, so it is transparent.
First of all, we should be clear that plant pigments do not exist in the white petals, because plant pigments will make plants appear colorful.
White is derived from the reflection of visible light by a large number of voids or vacuoles contained in cells inside the petals.
As for the transparency, some netizens speculate that it comes from the following two reasons:
(1) After the white petals meet the water and absorb the water, the cell space can be filled, and the light changes from reflection to refraction. This creates a transparent effect. Therefore, after the water volatilizes, the gap between the cells is restored, so that the petals can be reflected again, thus returning to white.
(2) After the impact of the rain, the internal structure (such as vacuoles) of the white petals is damaged, and the effect of reflecting light can no longer be produced. Light shines directly through the pigment-free cells and appears to be transparent. But this effect cannot be repaired – that is, even if the water evaporates, the petals can no longer recover. So I prefer the first conjecture, which is that the refractive reflection condition of the light changes resulting in different effects of light, just as the rainbow is different under different light conditions.
But in any case, in order to have a transparent effect in encountering water, the basic conditions that need to be met are: (1) white; (2) The texture is loose and light.
Similarly, there are also rotunda sand ginseng, anemone, and multiplication, which theoretically meet these two conditions, and here are some photos of them:
Rotifer-lobed sand ginseng
chickweed
Fu Mao Anemone
The flower buds of the tohoku mountain lotus leaf are hermaphroditic, so even if cultivated artificially, there is no need for mixed breeding. Its fruit is somewhat similar to that of a blueberry, with a blue-purple roundness and cuteness.
Beautiful flowers, but with a less beautiful flower language. As can be seen from the other alias of skull flower, due to the toxicity of the podophyllum toxin contained in the lotus leaf of the Northeast Mountain, its flower language is not as pure and beautiful as it seems.
Love when you die,
Just as the white pigment of the petals of water will disappear, reason will often run away from home when it encounters love. This represents a passionate attitude of love, regardless of it.
Horror and darkness,
I don't agree with this flower language, saying that the shape of the flower resembles a skull. You see, where does this look like a skull?
Fierce, vicious,
This layer of meaning is mainly based on its medicinal value and toxicity, but there is some truth.
However, I prefer to choose the meaning of "love when you die", flowers do not have their own meaning, people have the need to place their emotions, and place various meanings on flowers. Or wishes, or exhortations, are always to make people good, and all things develop in a good direction. Which do you think is the most appropriate flower language for the lotus leaf of the Tohoku Mountains? Tell us what you think!
What other plants do you know that become transparent? Let's share it in the comment area ~ pay attention to me not to get lost, the old chapter takes you to read a book of life!