The Strangest Plant In The World?!

[@ACSReactions]

The real question is when will we see these in future valentines day bouquets??

[@jiniyaamin1752]

No thanks

[@kylevalentine5431]

Funny you'd say that, today is valentine's day

[@omkarzarkar1021]

@@kylevalentine5431 Really?

[@kylevalentine5431]

@@omkarzarkar1021 well, I can't verify as it was an entire two years ago but I believe I was right

[@MUtley-rf8vg]

Wow. It's a dead-ringer for a stinkhorn fungi species. But is a plant?? Totally bizarre. Definitely the strangest I've seen!

[@grossscienceshow]

For years people actually thought it was a fungus! Such a weird plant...

[@nikko9972]

+Gross Science Wow! That's interesting.

[@ChilledfishStick]

Nice "fly calling for help" impression.

[@fakename3344]

1:42 This looks like a head on picture of two smiling snails taking a stroll and having a nice conversation.

[@luxordin4138]

Even tho this is a parisite planet,This has to be one of the most complex and facinating being's i've seen until now.The way it acts,and doesn't depend on the sun,is always amazing to me.Great job,i've really liked your video.I'm subscribing for lot's a more weird planet/animal etc,stuff!As i always say,Knowladge is power.

[@grossscienceshow]

Thank you!!!

[@peppersalty4659]

The flower on the thumbnail looks like Honestly I don’t need to finish my sentence because you already know what I’m about to say.

[@arn2840]

pussy

[@JFKozlowskiJr]

The vagiene.. yes. I am right.

[@clintonyeung]

This was video by far is the most interesting one to date! I also learned that Plants can be parasites as well which surprised me

[@grossscienceshow]

Right?! It surprised me, too!

[@kimberlypatton8473]

clinton yeung yes..here in E.Texas the mistletoe is rampant and a voracious parasite to many trees here.It particularly likes the Mesquite trees,however nobody boo-hoosuch for that since they're introduced pest plants as well.

[@clintonyeung]

Kimberly Patton the mistletoe? the same little thing that killed the viking Balder? and used for Xmas kissing it's a parasite? wow!

[@kingjames4886]

yup, mistletoe is a parasitic plant as well.

[@gazepskotzs4]

mistletoe is a half-parasite

[@SpecialEDy]

Is this flower the inspiration for the movie Tremors?

[@greenbeevideo765]

If it didn't have flowers and seeds, I would think it was a fungus with the way it grows! Crazy cool. Have you ever gotten to smell one before?

[@grossscienceshow]

No, I haven't! I'd love to, though!

[@MrMaxinne]

you can eat the fruit? WOW.

[@grossscienceshow]

RIGHT?!?!?! I wish I could try one.

[@critterfreek83]

Me too. I suspect baboons and crested porcupines dig out and consume their share of those fruits as well.

[@gt3racer2187]

You should try the Noni fruit instead.

[@scottgrohs5940]

Or the durian.

[@SimSpartan]

Jay F bolin who wrote that paper is my teacher at my college, showing him this video.

[@grossscienceshow]

Oh fabulous! I chatted with a colleague of his for this piece. I hope Dr. Bolin likes it!

[@figuraine]

Oh yeah,strawberry yoghurt is my fav... *I NEED THAT PLANT*

[@Nen_niN]

"They live underground most of their lives" just like me

[@MrNioMoon]

That's so creepy!

[@JC-nh7sk]

0:12 In 3rd grade I did a research project about this plant and was obsessed with how cool it was.

[@SunnySalasar]

even if it's not very gross, could you do one about the fairy wasp? it's smaller than amoeba and lays it's eggs in wasp eggs

[@grossscienceshow]

Love that idea.

[@SunnySalasar]

I feel hope! :D thanks for replying

[@shrimpsareprettyrich176]

The giant flower at the beginning of the video is called a Rafflesia and it's found only in the Malaysian rainforests and it's endangered and smells like spoiled meat. I'm from Malaysia btw

[@beaflowers2639]

parasitic plants are so cool

[@atomicskull6405]

Stapelia Gigantea is another huge stinky flower from africa (though the smell is faint and not really that bad) you can find cuttings on Ebay regularly, and it blooms readily in cultivation. It looks like a cactus but it's actually a succulent milkweed. The flowers look like a hairy starfish up to a foot across.

[@andrewd3525]

Anyone else think it's funny that the name of the scientist studying Hydnora triceps is Lytton Musselman? That's about as ironic as a scientist named Murphy Spudman studying potatoes.

[@GeorgeMonet]

1:19 So it not only looks like an unwashed "taco" but smells like one too?

[@aleaguilera4597]

Wow, one of the best videos you've made. This plants are quite evil. One question, the flower always makes the fruit? Is it imposible to take the whole system underneath and try to generate more. Could you take the parasite and put it in another flower or plant? Thanks!

[@grossscienceshow]

If the flower gets pollinated (and I'm assuming if other conditions are right) it will produce the fruit. As far as I know, these plants will grow on a few different species of Euphorbia, but no other plants. And I don't know if anyone tried to essentially "rehome" one of these. Supposedly, someone once planted some Hydnora africana seeds in a pot with Euphorbia, and YEARS later it grew a flower...but I couldn't find great documentation on it and the scientist I spoke with told me that at least they'd never been grown in the lab.

[@MusicalMissCapri]

And who'd want to? Eww. Lol

[@aleaguilera4597]

Alright! Thanks!

[@aleaguilera4597]

I'm sorry, excuse me, who are you?

[@EliVieira]

Luv your channel!

[@grossscienceshow]

Thank you!!!

[@user-cs6fl7zp8b]

Me too!

[@danstiver9135]

We have a parasitic plant in Ohio that works similarly. It’s called cancer root, or sometimes “squaw corn”, because it lives off the roots of oak trees and the flowers look kinda like yellow corn cobs or pine cones.

[@narsticrhino207]

I remember I saw two of them in my backyard, they smelt so bad.

[@Tacoman1967]

I guess the sugar and the water it steals go into making the fruit delicious so the seeds can be spread. Very interesting!!

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

Some plants are hard to love.

[@weegoh8324]

This is a plumber’s worst nightmare.

[@GeeaRCee]

If they grow underground maybe dogs can be trained to look for them.

[@cineespecial7813]

This is one of the most interesting videos I've seen this year, how come I've never heard of this plant before?

[@VectorPlexus]

I love that you end every video with "eww", worth a subscription =)

[@bernohorn8493]

Was lucky enough to see and photograph this parasite last year, great experience:)

[@jaysubramanian8143]

I am a plant professor and one of my students wrote about this plant for an assignment. Although I know of many parasitic plants, this one is quite new to me to know about. Interestingly many of these species have a strong smell associated with it- perhaps some evolutionary significance attached to it. Thank you for the interesting video.

[@paigeellie9464]

HOW COME I HAD ONE OF THESE IN MY BACK YARD GROWING A FEW YEARS AGO ??

[@anndai6027]

Anna, you are amazing! Thank you so much for making all these super aesthetic and cool videos with intelligent and super interesting topics! I love this one! And the one with carnivorous plants aaannd all the others!

[@grossscienceshow]

Oh man, thank you so much!!!

[@figuraine]

Lmao i thought its gonna trap or eat insects that it attracts but it actually needs them to pollinate

[@wurttmapper2200]

How can a plant increase the distance the smell travels by making itself hotter? How even does it make itself hotter?

[@asiburger]

that sound when the sign pop up grosses me out.

[@meatyaura]

Fly: Mmm fleeshh Fly: wait what Fly: HELP

[@magentalizard1250]

1:09 That's the finest lookin' snatch i've seen in 17 years.

[@kitgamingdogeie1312]

haaaalp said the trapped bug as he struggled to get free from the flowers grasp

[@bassnbluegill1406]

These(or something incredibly similiar) used to grow in my yard... They smelled HORRIBLE.We called them chicken feet.

[@Skymouth]

I was lucky enough to see the carrion plant in the Huntington Gardens when it was in full bloom. It smelled horrible but was very cool looking

[@jourmomaking9308]

there is always a couple of those this inn my back yard every summer

[@mixey01]

The insects got violated 0_O

[@robpasquali]

Musselman studies triceps...

[@grossscienceshow]

OMG, I had not put that together... YES!

[@user-sg1op3pr2u]

your videos are really informative.. thanks for uploading...😊😊😊

[@grossscienceshow]

Thank you for watching!

[@vivianeb90]

this is a real plant? now that makes me rethink the definition of a plant.

[@EzzinatorT10]

annnd i just realised how chlorophyte got its name. its related to plants. its desc is (terraria hardmode ore) "it reacts to the light." it was named after chlorophyll

[@bethgadamali9127]

This is the most interesting thing I've ever heard for years! Thanks for making these videos! Growing these in a lab would be difficult since it has no leaves; I wonder what is going on that stops anyone from growing these in a lab. What triggers the plant to know when to germinate? Temperature? Pressure? Interaction? Or is there a second process that's going on? You have to answer this for me!! I have so many questions!! 😆

[@GTXDash]

2:27 For those non-South Africans watching this, a 1 Rand is slightly bigger than a dime.

[@carlosadolfo9942]

Congratulations for the 2 years of your amazing channel!

[@randomcat2388]

I'm not even gonna comment on how this flower is shaped...

[@ritubhardwaj5183]

where are u know?? i want more of gross science please!

[@baraskparas9559]

Fantastic presentation and explanation. Great channel. Thanks.

[@NebulaFrost]

0:21 The seedling on the far right looks like its jamming to something.

[@ricardopolanco9477]

I live in southern California and I had this type Parasite plant in my backyard but for some reason died the day i found it was kinda wired

[@torugho]

Thanks for subtitles because i'm Brazilian and can't understand right your pronounce. But i have english class so i understand something write

[@orchidgrowproject1092]

If I can get my hands on one, I'll definitely do research on how it reproduces. If I can not, this plant will be one of the first I'll study in college. Definitely an intriguing topic, too bad it's found in South Africa. Other than trying to be germinated in a lab, have there been any studies on asexual reproduction of this plant?

[@adlizaharudin8346]

I've seen a rafflesia before, (idk how to spell it) on the one day it blooms

[@carlossoares712]

cadaver plants are indeed nice, the biggest flower is from one of them

[@641mamaluigi]

This is one of my favorite flowers mainly cuz it's so weird looking like a Fanged reptilian Cantaloupes.

[@samara6508]

I have a question.....why does our body get wrinkles and become sore when we age?

[@velmafrezzell950]

I wonder who thought, "omg this STINKS, and its far from pretty... maybe I should eat it!" 😂 Not saying it shouldn't be eaten but it would seem it has no appeal to humans. Lol

[@kitscozy]

Oh my gosh this is the same plant my brother did for a project

[@backwoodsbumpkin7209]

That's no flower, it's a Mongolian death worm! Run!

[@flexnightcore3304]

I learning many things in this channel

[@edashmusix]

this is an alien plant left by exlporers , cant convince me otherwise

[@MichaelAnderson-rv8lg]

So that's what's growing behind my ears....

[@kingjames4886]

doesn't seem like a very solid strategy to produce fruit under ground and hope something happens to dig it up...

[@purplejellyfish395]

Never knew these even existed

[@sashamulder4575]

So i have a different question... How do you get rid of them if your garden is infested with it...

[@ngakanputuh.purwanta9583]

does the plant has any related to rafflesia Arnoldi? i mean the way of life being parasite to other plants, and the flower smells like rotten meat?

[@bluerocket6591]

Im not eating this parasyte fruit and turning into a "The Last of Us" zombie.

[@britoroque]

I would love if you talk about this plant. It is a plant, but has no chlorophyl. >> Tradescantia pallida purpurea

[@shroomyesc]

How about the mushroom that forms "eggs", the Clathrus archeri

[@xerotoninz]

That seems a really difficult way for a plant to pollinate

[@Z0MGH4X]

Who knew humans would eat a fruit from a parasite

[@bdbgh]

So is the rafflesia flower related to this?

[@user-yt1ur5yu3r]

No they not even in the same order. Rafflesia is in order Malpighiales and Hydnora belongs to order Piperales so it is more related to the non parasitic Black pepper which belongs to same order but different family

[@sagarshaji5994]

The increase in temperature of the flowers is most probably to seem like a mammals body

[@samuelbarringer715]

I was wondering about poisonous plants? There are so many. While some are poisonous to eat, some plants have poisonous sap such as the manchineel tree. It is a defense mechanism that plants have, since plants cannot run away like other animals can do.

[@sasha-kl1tn]

I'd love to see more frequent content, it's amazing!

[@sayakest]

Looks like a giant sandworm in videogames

[@Chriva]

The thumbnail looks like a.. yeah it's probably better not to say that word. Haha. Great vids as always :)

[@firedragonpd4064]

I love this channel so much ! Anna is the best host too.

[@grossscienceshow]

[@jimmyautopaint6073]

U r the best

[@OlivertheJoyboy]

That's awesome thanks for sharinf

[@grossscienceshow]

Thanks for watching, Oliver!

[@Volosous]

Of course the guy who studies a plant called triceps has the name Musselman

[@EyesOfByes]

1:30 So basically a real life fleshlight?

[@OOTurok]

I thought the defining characteristic of a PLANT... is that it has chlorophyll & produces its food through photosynthesis. How is this thing a plant? I must have missed something in my botany classes.

[@monaz7807]

Ur vids are so useful, and I love them, plz never ever stop making vids!!!!!! Ur vids are fun, useful and are important to us people. So thx for making somany videos!!!!!!!

[@toastie4848]

1:43 is it me or it really ressembles a disfigured smiley face?

[@Samsongamingship]

So that evil flower steals other plants' food, lures poor flies, traps them for a day until it cums on them and then it lets them go

[@mathieuleader8601]

I take it this plant is a hybrid or relation to both the picture plant or the venus flytrap or something different entirely

[@korsavagegaming]

0:11 those remind me of the big ass flowers in the legends of zelda (i think it was twilight princess) that ate you

[@DJKreepz]

The chamber of secrets, as in secret kidnapping.

[@mansdoctooor]

thanks

[@raccoonresidence9086]

Perhaps the seed need to be passed through the digestive system then left in the dung for proper propagation?

[@leonardodamiandiasjacinto9062]

3:30 the flower crack open a cold one with the boys

[@mefnow]

you should do a video about e120 or carmine. wich is present in alot of sweets and food products. its used as a pigment for food. but the funny part is that its mushed lice living from cactus. It also isnt considered halal.

[@asquidnamedjule4144]

Gross Science, is this in any way related to the corpse flower, or is it in a different type of family?