Vampire heart: langsdorfia's amazing abilities

Langsdorffia is a flowering plant in the Balanophoraceae family. It can be found in the forests and savannas of Central and South America, Madagascar and Papua New Guinea. Langsdorfia's reputation as a vampire plant was firmly established in the scientific community. And they don't call her that for "beautiful eyes." Langsdorfia actually sucks nutrients from the roots of other plants, entangling them underground with their grayish, branch-like appendages.

Langsdorfia has no stem, only a tuber with spooky appendages and an inflorescence. Chris Thorogood, a specialist in parasitic plants at the Oxford Botanic garden and arboretum, compares langsdorfia to a predatory deep-sea creature. A creature that leaves a bright red scaly "head" on the surface, launching its predatory, treacherous tentacles into the depths.

While the sprouts are underground foraging, the fiery red flowers of langsdorfia are engaged in breeding. They secrete a sweet-smelling nectar that attracts insects and even birds. Moreover, " female "flowers secrete nectar at the base of the flower, and "male" - over the entire surface. Langsdorfia blooms only once in a lifetime.