Israeli Survivor Flower

There is a flower that grows wild in Israel, seemingly able to thrive under the most difficult conditions.  It had been nicknamed “The Israeli Survivor Flower”.  Dr. Rina Kamenetsky of Israel’s Volcani Institute was quite surprised when she placed the Israeli Persian buttercup under a microscope and found a very clear image of the Star of David.  “It really is symbolic,” she declared.  The flower is also known as a type of “resurrection” plant.  Kamenetsky explained that it can live without water and is resurrected when water becomes available.

The cells with the Star of David are located in the root of the plant.  She and colleagues have discovered that the walls of the roots have a unique way of protecting the plant from too much water while absorbing enough to keep the plant alive in dry weather.  Dr. Damenetsky said, “We have never before seen a structure like this in the cell wall of plants…this is a very rare structure—maybe even unique.”

– Inside Israel Newsletter