INTERESTING FACTS ON BOTANY
Pollination in Rafflesia
By flies/mites
Dispersal of seeds in Rafflesia
By Elephant
Smallest parasite
Arceuthobium minutissimum — It lives in stem of Pinus,
Rootless plants
Balanophora, Utricularia, Ceratophylium, Woiffia
Plantless roots
plants have only roots to perform assimilation/growth/reproduction e.g. Sapria, Podostemum, Arceuthobium, Rafflesia
Scindapsus (family Araceae)
First terrestrial and then becomes epiphyte
Arachis hypogea (Ground nut)
Flowering occurs outside soil and after fertilization, ovaries go into soil where fruit formation occurs. It is called Geocarpy and is due to auxin action.
Plant with Broadest leaves
Victoria amazonica, (Amazon lily) leaf diameter 1.5 to 1.8 m
Plant with Longest leaf
Raphia vinifera (10—15 m)
Largest (Tallest) angiosperm
Eucalyptus regnans (114 m)
Tallest Gymnosperm
Sequoiadenron sempervirens ( = Sequoia gigantea) Douglosfir or Californian red wood tree
Largest flower
Rafflesia arnoldi ( 1 mt in dia, wt 7 kg) It is a root parasite on Tetrastigma roots
Largest inflorescence
Amorphophallus titanum (5.5 m) may be upto 12 m in Agave
Largest cotyledons
Capsella bursa pestoris (Shepherd’s purse)
Biggest fruit
Lodoicea maldivica (Double coconut wt 6 kg)
Largest diameter of a tree
Taxodium mucronatum (100—125 ft) Cestanea (167 feet)
Strongest wood used to keep mummies
Taxodium mucronatum (a gymnosperm)
Maximum number of chromosomes, plant
Ophioglossum reticulatum (2n = 1262)
Animal
Aulacantha Radiolarians (2n = 1600)
Smallest Archegonium is found in
Angiosperms
Largest Archegonium is found in
Mosses
Smallest gametophyte plant
Chiamydomonas
Largest gametopilytic plant
Dasownia
Smallest pollen grain (2.5 t)
Myosotis
Largest pollen grain (250 j.t)
Mirabilis
Biggest ovule
Cycas thourasii (7 cm in length)
Biggest sperm
Cycas
Biggest egg
Cycas
Largest seed
Lodoicea maidivica
Maximum number of chromosomes in Angiospérms
Poa litorosa 2n = 266
Smallest chromosome
An alga (0.025 rim)
Largest chromosome
Trillium govanianuin (30 jim)
Minimum number of chromosomes - Plant
Mucor, Porphyra (n = 2)
Minimum number of chromosomes - Animal
Ascaris (2n = 2)
Highest yielding cereal (grain) crop
Maize
Largest and widest cultivated crop
Rice (Oryza sativ)
Most advanced family
Compositae in dicots and gramineae in monocots
Billiards ball is made
from vegetable (Ivory) Palm (Phvtelephas microcarpa)
Lightest wood
Balsa (Ochrorna Pyramidale) sp. gr. 00444
Heaviest wood of world
Guaicum officinale ( sp. gr. I .49 wt. 93 lb/cubic feet
Fire proof wood (wood without resin)
Sequoia dendron
Maximum life span of a tree
Macrozamia (10000 years), Dracaena (8000 years)
Largest spreading tree
Ficus bengulensis
Largest leaf in diameter
Victoria arnazonica (V. regia) Amazon lily dia. (5—6 ft)
Longest leaf
Raphia vinifera 30—50 ft
Longest Botanic Garden of World
Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, England
First Plant taxonomist
Caesalpinio
World’s largest herbarium
Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, England