Platycerium Ferns
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Platycerium |
Typically, plants absorb nutrients from the soil through their roots, but the Platycerium fern obtains its nourishment from its leaves. Its frond-like leaves form a basin that collects fallen debris from the trees it grows on. This organic matter decomposes within its natural basket, gradually turning into humus, which nourishes the fern. This species is also known as an epiphyte, meaning it grows on the surface of another plant without harming its host. The smaller leaves of the fern perform photosynthesis and produce spores to sustain its lineage.
Tillandsia
The Tillandsia, often referred to as the “Air Plant,” roots itself on a tree and awaits a rain shower. Its stem and leaves are covered in a dense network of scales that retain water. This water is absorbed through a small opening located beneath each scale. Furthermore, as water flows over the plant, Tillandsia absorbs mineral salts from the decaying cells of the host tree.
Watering Plant
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Tillandsia |
On Hierro Island, part of the Canary Islands (Spain), a “sea of fog” envelops the forests for about 200 days each year. A legendary plant, known as the watering plant, uniquely harnesses fog for water. Its broad leaves absorb moisture from the condensed fog on their surfaces before it trickles down along the branches. The plant also manages its own irrigation: the soil surrounding it quickly soaks up the water. Up until the 16th century, the indigenous Guanche people collected water from this plant using open wells. Other species of watering plants are also known to thrive in arid regions with abundant fog, such as in Oman or Chile.