Region: Southern Africa.
English: Resurrection plant
Leaves: apparently dead leaves revive when the rains come.
Content: tannin 3,4,5-Tri-O-galloylquinic acid
Habitat: geophyte; along mountain formations; altitudes between 500 and 1900 m; high light intensity; tolerates extreme temperature changes between night and day, dry winters and wet summers; shallow rocky outcrops with soil depths of around 15 cm; erosion debris is typically found surrounding its root system.
Cultural:
Myrothamnus flabellifolius has been called the resurrection plant because it can produce flowers after months of dormancy. It has been known as a symbol of hope in African culture.
Use: Leaves and stems are commonly used as tea and spices; leaves for making lotion.
BotanyShrub; small resinous shoot; 20 to 120 cm tall; noticeable difference in size, between its dehydrated state and re-hydrated state; able to fold its leaf and stems.
Root: extensive root systems, with many shoots.
Stem: single bundles or colonies.
Leaves: deciduous; lacking half of the year; grow back very quickly after first rainfall; thylakoid membranes are stacked upon each other to reduce photo-oxidative stress; mesophyll cells fold their cell wall in response to desiccation; sclerenchyma and vascular cells do not fold; once water is re-introduced, water absorption happens mostly via the roots; unable to absorb any water; lipids in the xylem help water flow. The lipids help, prevent cavitation which helps in re-hydration.