Nature is full of wonders, and there is a plant that is truly magical - its blooming petals actually turn transparent when exposed to water!
This kind of flower plant is called mountain lotus leaf . Because it has leaves similar to lotus, it is called "mountain lotus leaf". Its blooming flowers are white, very pure and elegant.
Heliotrope belongs to Berberidaceae Heliotrope genus. The genus Albus is a small genus, and it is understood that the genus only includes three species of plants, namely Japanese Alpinia, North American Amphifolia and Southern Amelia. Japanese mountain lotus leaves are mainly distributed in northern Japan, and there are also reports that they are also distributed in Northeast my country; North American mountain lotus leaves are distributed in the east coast of the United States; Southern mountain lotus leaves are distributed in the central and western regions of my country, such as Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, and Hunan Waiting places.
Mountain lotus leaves are extremely rare. Its growth area is limited. It mostly grows in deep mountain forests and at the bottom of damp slopes. It can also be cultivated artificially. It is also a rare Chinese herbal medicine with medicinal functions. Wild mountain lotus leaves have been listed as national protected species.
Mountain lotus leaves bloom in summer. The beautiful flowers are composed of six petals. The petals are usually pure white, but after being exposed to rain, they become transparent and appear crystal clear, like works of art carved from ice cubes. Transparent crystal; and the veins on the petals can be clearly seen, so it is also called the "skeleton flower", which is very vivid.
So, why do the petals of mountain lotus leaves turn transparent when exposed to rain after blooming? This should be the question that many readers are asking at this time. The special function of petals like "transformation" actually involves a physical phenomenon of light: when water droplets fall on the petals, the water will slowly penetrate into the petals, because the refractive index of water and cell fluid are very close. , there is almost no difference, it is equivalent to increasing the transmittance of the petals, thereby eliminating reflection, so that people cannot see the true color of the petals, and can only see the translucent effect, so the petals look transparent.
Does the process of mountain lotus leaves changing from pure white to translucent after being exposed to the rain resemble the "face-changing" in our Sichuan Opera ?
The rare magical mountain lotus leaves in this world are like plants in a fairy tale kingdom, which refreshed my understanding of all things in nature.
