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Few people know about the existence of such an amazing plant, like Javanese cucumber (Alsomitra macrocarpa). These creepers from the family pumpkin plants grow in the rainforests of Southeast Asia, Australia and South America. Like any other green organism, Javanese cucumber strives for its seeds to spread as far as possible, flying away from the native tree to significant distance. And it is the described plant that possesses, perhaps, the best ability to do so.
A photo from open sources
Unusual vines climb the tallest trees. When Javanese cucumber reaches maturity, it forms fancy fruits like brown rounded bells the size of soccer balls. Inside are hundreds of winged seeds, which gradually exfoliate and fly down. Planning for air, they are able to overcome hundreds of meters in absolutely calm weather. Unusual structure of surrounding petal seeds allow them even to rise during the flight up. And when in the presence of wind, many Javanese cucumber seeds can fly by kilometers, maximizing the habitat of this amazing plant.
A photo from open sources
Alsomitra macrocarpa seed is very thin, its thickness is not more than one millimeter, and it is located in the center of gravity, giving the construction a perfect balance. Wings yet finer: just a few micrometers. Javanese seeds cucumbers travel through the air almost like butterflies, using air currents for the flight. Australian Aviation Pioneer Igo Etrich even used the structure of these seeds as a prototype when creating your first airplane. So javanese cucumber even had an impact on the global aircraft industry.
We already told you on one of the pages of our portal about unique ability to breed and spread of its habitat, the insect, which nature has deprived wings, however, gave something more: the ability to spread their eggs following the example of plant seeds. Javanese cucumber shows us another great living adaptability property organisms that evolutionarily find the best ways breeding and overall survival. And all these are real miracles which Mother Nature demonstrates to us, yes, we are somehow in a fuss popping our everyday days, we notice little from our surroundings a world very similar to the most fantastic tale …
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