Mimicry is one of nature’s greatest talents, creating a means for mating, feeding, and avoiding certain death. It allows for the continuation of a species over countless ages. While some forms of mimicry serve a very specific purpose, there are some that only resemble creatures in our own perception. Take a look at our list of crazy plants that, whether for survival or just through sheer imagination, resemble animals.
1. Stapelia Flavopurpurea
First off, we have the beautiful Stapelia flavopurpurea, hailing from the Northern Cape of South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. If it weren’t for the visible base on this species, you couldn’t be blamed for thinking it was a starfish. The flowers can display bright hues of yellow, orange, red, white, green, and purple when exposed to full sun. Rather than bearing the stench of rotten meat like others in its genus, Stapelia flavopurpurea smells of beeswax, or faintly of licorice to some sensitive olfactory systems.
2. Ophrys Apifera
Next, we have the Ophrys apifera and at first glance, you probably don’t see anything out of the ordinary. It’s just a bee collecting pollen, right? Look again! What appears to be a fuzzy flying bee is actually a neat plant aptly known as the bee orchid. Although most species of Ophrys apifera are self-pollinators, some of these orchids in the Mediterranean actually attract male Eucera bees. This is done by emitting a scent that mimics that of the female. Eucera attempts to mate with the deceptive appendage of the bee orchid, therefore ensuring the continuation of the species.
3. Impatiens Psittacina
Coming in at third, we have the Impatiens psitticina, which is commonly mistaken for an orchid. However, the bloom commonly known as the parrot flower grows from a species of balsam endemic to Southeast Asia.. The flower does indeed resemble a parrot in mid-flight, but whether this serves as a benefit to the plant is unclear.
4. Aristolochia Salvador Platensis
This haunting visage comes from the species Aristolochia salvador platensis, part of a large plant genus of around 500 evergreen and deciduous woody vines that proliferate many diverse ecosystems throughout its native Brazil. Many of the species’ flowers resemble carnivorous pitcher plants, but this particular species displays a morbid image that belies its true mission: the “eye holes” of the bloom actually allow sunlight to filter through, attracting pollinators to light upon it and transport its pollen to other flowers.
5. Faucaria Tigrina
Take a good look at that picture and tell us it doesn’t look like a hungry crocodile or alligator in a less-than-desirable pose! Despite its fearsome appearance, Faucaria tigrina is a harmless succulent species from South Africa that grows silky, yellow daisy-like flowers in autumn through early winter.
For more on plants that resemble animals and other mimicry, check out: 5 Cool Examples of Insect Mimicry or Nature’s Impostors: 5 Examples of Insect Mimicry!
Featured Image from Motaz Tawfik/Unsplash
