Elegant and Charming Plant
>> 8/17/09
Ok, so it's been awhile since I've seen anything in the headlines even remotely interesting in the field of botany. Here is a portion of an article from the London Times of the the recently discovered giant rat-eating plant:
Nepenthes attenboroughii, a previously unknown variety of pitcher plant discovered on a remote mountain in the Philippines, is so big that small rodents could be trapped inside and slowly dissolved by flesh-eating enzymes.
It is thought that only a few hundred of the plants exist, growing only on one mountain on the island of Palawan. The species was discovered by a team of scientists who had heard reports from missionaries who got lost in the dense jungle...
Sir David told The Times that it was a great honour to have the species named after him. He said that the nepenthes family were “very dramatic plants. I’ve always thought they are remarkable things, very elegant and charming.” Click here for full article.
The best part of this article is the quote by Sir David that calls the rat-eating plant "very elegant and charming." Ha! I love it! I have to agree that it is a beautiful plant and I can even see why he would call it elegant because of its graceful lines. But charming? I suppose it has to get the rat to jump in somehow- guess that's the "charming" part?
Also worthy of good brag time- Noel officially begins his first year of law school tomorrow. I don't think I have ever seen him so passionate and excited to follow a course of study and path in life. I am so very proud of him! You may not be able to read it in this pic but the name of the Cumberland School of Law building is Memory Leake Robinson Hall. How ironic!
