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This remarkable \u201cresurrection\u201d plant can dry out almost completely, lie dormant for decades, only to return to life within hours after the first drop of water.<\/p>\n
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Desiccation, or the loss of all moisture, means death for most organisms on earth. Cells collapse; membranes rupture; DNA fragments; the metabolism grinds to a halt. However, scattered across some of the Earth\u2019s harshest landscapes, there is an elite group of species that defy this rule completely. They\u2019re known colloquially as \u201cresurrection plants\u201d: organisms that are capable of drying out almost completely, and then springing back to life as soon as water returns.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the most extreme member of this group is Selaginella lepidophylla, commonly known as the \u201crose of Jericho\u201d or \u201cthe dinosaur of houseplants.\u201d It\u2019s native to the Chihuahuan Desert in northern Mexico and southwestern United States, it can survive nearly total desiccation (down to about 5% internal moisture) and remain dormant. <\/p>\n
Most astonishingly, it can remain in this dormant state for nearly a decade. Some field accounts estimate that individuals can remain viable for six to seven years without a drop of water. Here\u2019s how.<\/p>\n
The Resurrection Plant Dries Without Dying<\/p>\n
Most plants can only tolerate mild dehydration. Without a sufficient amount of water, their tissues wilt and the process of photosynthesis slows. In turn, they quickly begin accumulating metabolic damage. However, Selaginella lepidophylla operates completely differently<\/a> \u2014 as it dries out on purpose.<\/p>\n As it begins to lose water content, the rose of Jericho\u2019s forms itself into a tight ball, using its spiral arrangement of stems and leaves. This, as a result, significantly minimizes its total surface area, while simultaneously protecting its inner tissues. Fascinatingly, once it reaches this curled up state, the plant becomes almost weightless. This means that it\u2019s easily blown across desert plains, in the same way a tumbleweed would. <\/p>\n Remarkably, when rain eventually arrives \u2014 be it days, weeks, months or even years later \u2014 it unfurls itself and begins to turn green once more. In just a matter of hours after being rewatered, it resumes its growth as if nothing happened.<\/p>\n As research<\/a> from Annual Review of Physiology explains, this process is possible due to the plant entering a state that\u2019s known as \u201canhydrobiosis.\u201d This refers to a reversible suspended animation, similar to what tardigrades and brine shrimp use to survive extreme environments. But plants, which cannot escape heat or drought, rely even more heavily on this strategy.<\/p>\n How The Resurrection Plant\u2019s Cells Survive Near-Complete Desiccation<\/p>\n The resurrection plant\u2019s resilience without water is a direct product of its biochemistry. As 2013 research<\/a> from Molecular Plant explains, this is due to the various tactics it uses to stabilize its cells during water loss:<\/p>\n The resurrection plant\u2019s revival is rapid, almost dramatically so. Within minutes of receiving water again, its stems uncurl. Within hours, chloroplasts that were previously clumped and dormant start to spread out. Soon, it\u2019s able to completely reactivate photosynthesis and begin rebuilding its metabolic pathways.<\/p>\n Why The Resurrection Plant\u2019s Survival Strategy Matters For Humans<\/p>\n Extreme desiccation tolerance has real implications for agriculture, climate resilience and biotechnology. These include:<\/p>\n The resurrection plant\u2019s life strategy is a reminder that survival doesn\u2019t always reward speed or size. Sometimes it rewards stillness. This species endures long after everything around it has died, while waiting patiently for the rare desert rain. And when that moment comes \u2014 even if nearly a decade has passed \u2014 it unfurls, greens and starts life over. It may not be immortal<\/a>, but it is still arguably one of the most resilient forms of life on Earth.<\/p>\n Are you an animal lover who owns a pet? Take the science-backed Pet Personality Test<\/a> to know how well you know your little friend.<\/p>\n\n
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