Rose of Jericho

Rose of Jericho Facts

• Clearly to be seen, the attention-grabbing name of Rose of Jericho serves as the much more pronounceable term for an incredible plant. That’s because it serves as the common name for the rather fascinating Anastatica hierochuntica.
• Remarkably, this intriguing plant also remains renowned among researchers for one particular reason. It’s one that may surprise you, however. That’s because this fascinating species holds this status due to its truly astonishing resistance to desiccation.
• The distinctive plant additionally remains considered by many experts in the field to represent an extremely hardy form of a surprising type of plant. This fascinating yet bewildering species technically represents a type of tumbleweed.
• In ancient times, this amazing product of evolution had a very specific and highly beneficial usage. During that era, a wise man or shaman actually often used this plant as a means of predicting if rain was imminent. How’s that for a natural marvel?
• For the moment, though, the IUCN does not yet have a classification for this extremely interesting plant on its Red List of Threatened Species. This holds true due to the fact that, for the moment, at least, its numbers appear to be relatively stable.

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Rose of Jericho Physical Description

Perhaps most notably, although remarkable, and visually rather distinctive, the Rose of Jericho nevertheless remains a small species of plant. But, what the plant lacks in terms of size, it easily makes up for in distinctiveness. Nature places no importance on size.

In point of fact, even truly exceptional individual specimens rarely achieve a height of more than 6 in (15 cm). Most individual specimens, though, actually attain a somewhat smaller overall size than that. This typically only equals approximately about 4 in 10 cm).

The impressive Rose of Jericho also, and once again, surprisingly, represents a type of annual herb. In appearance, this marvelous work of Nature most commonly displays a light gray in color, and produces small white flowers. This makes for a striking combination.

But, while quite small, the seeds of this highly adapted plant remain far from fragile. In fact, these remain extremely hardy and well protected by the surrounding leaves produced in large quantities. This evolutionary trait thus helps serve to ensure continuance of the species.

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Phylum: Angiosperms
• Class: Eudicots
• Order: Brassicales
• Family: Brassicaceae
• Genus: Anastatica
• Species: A. hierochuntica

Rose of Jericho Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The incredible Rose of Jericho evolved to survive its habitat, like most species. It thus developed its sincerely astonishing hardiness and regenerative abilities for a specific reason. This is completely understandable, because of the severity of its native climate.

More specifically, the marvel of Nature evolved as endemic to the extremely arid regions of Asia. The unique Angiosperm most commonly occurs in the countries of the Middle East and the Sahara. To date, it currently remains unknown if it ever appeared anywhere else.

Even more specifically, however, this highly evolved species only inhabits the various desert regions of eight modern countries. These locations consist solely of the regions now forming the countries of Egypt, Iran, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Pakistan.

The amazing Rose of Jericho possesses an extraordinary evolutionary trait. Specimens dry up virtually completely after the end of the local rainy season. At that time, the leaves of each individual plant contract tightly, thereby protecting the precious seeds within.

This wonder further remains this way for extended periods. It can, in fact, actually lie dormant for months or even years, presenting a highly convincing appearance of death. Yet, when the rain finally comes, it opens quickly, to receive the life-giving water.

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