Beautiful and fragrant: what are flowers?

What are flowers? This is one of the most unique and fascinating creatures of nature. Humanity initially admired the wild field, mountain, forest flowers, gradually revealing the secrets of nature, nurtured new forms and species of these beautiful plants.

In general, flowers have always been present in the life of a person both in joyful and sad events. Thanks to its amazing shapes and colors, fresh flowers are used to decorate various activities. This is a tribute to admiration, and a sign of respect, and an expression of sorrow.

What is a flower of a plant: a little biology

The flowering period is very important for the plant. The flower is involved in the formation of the fetus or seeds. The scientific definition of what a flower is, is this: it is the organ of plant propagation. It is in the flower that the process of pollination takes place. Most often insects participate in this process, but other methods are possible. The stem of any plant ends with leaves or a flower. Each plant has its own flower arrangement. There is a scientific version that this organ originated from escape. And indeed, some species of plants have a flower shape resembling slightly blossoming petals, for example, asters or dahlias.

Basically, flowers have a bright color or produce a fragrance. By these methods plants attract insects. It is worth noting that the fragrance is not made by petals, but by nectaries. These are special glands that exude a sweetish and smelling liquid. In the interior of the flower is a pestle surrounded by stamens. At the ends of the stamens are "bags", where the pollen ripens. These "bags" carry the scientific name anthers. When fertilized, the pollen enters the pestle and germinates in it. So fruits are formed.

Use of flowers in perfumery

Man more than 4000 years ago began to use flowers to create the first perfume. In Cyprus, in Pyrgos, a workshop was found with all sorts of devices for making fragrant compositions. After the analysis, it was found that the perfume composition consisted of needles, almonds, myrtle and other plants. In addition, an Arab named Avicenna was also engaged in extracting fragrant substances from flowers. One of his famous inventions is pink water, which has enjoyed a certain popularity to this day.

In the modern world, aromatic or essential oils of chemical production are used to create a perfume. Only limited series are created on the basis of natural components. Flowers such as rose, lavender, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley, narcissus, lily and hyacinth, do not allow women around the world to remain indifferent to perfume fragrances.

Flowers in Cooking

In addition to using colors for perfume, humanity has long used them in cooking. The easiest way to use them is all kinds of drinks or teas with flowers. Few did not try tea with jasmine or linden. In addition, everyone knows jam from rose petals or jelly from marigold flowers with raspberries. If you turn to classical literature, then Ray Bradbury in his works mentions wine from dandelions. It has an unusual taste and bright yellow color.

In addition, in cooking, flowers are used for cooking meat or fish, are added to salads and desserts, are an excellent decoration of confectionery. The names of these flowers are on everyone's lips: these are daisies, pansies, violets, nasturtiums and other plants common to Russians.

Application of colors in medicine

Flowers of some plants have medicinal properties. For example, everyone knows what flowers of calendula are. With throat diseases, rinses are effective with infusion of them. To improve the condition with a cold, a lime-colored drink helps. Flowers immortelle (the name speaks for itself) are generally unique, they can help with diseases such as cholecystitis, hepatitis, hypertension. Among other things, they have choleretic properties. Modern medicine, despite the abundance of medicines, often refers to the "flower pharmacy."

Also since ancient times, the flowers of some plants have been used as poisons. If you look at history, you can see that these properties of colors helped to change the history of more than one state.

What are predator flowers?

Not all natural creations are harmless. There is a certain group of predator plants. Most of the plants of this type grow on the African continent, but some species are found in Russia. In predatory flowers bright color signals a danger.

Typically, predator plants have a flower that exudes an attractive for insects fragrance. And as soon as the insect sits on such a flower, its bud either slams or the insect gets stuck in it, unable to get out. In the bowl of flowers of such plants, small rodents sometimes fall. The brighter the flower, the more toxic or dangerous it is.

Interesting about flowers

In conclusion, a few interesting facts:

• Some flowers are a symbol of this or that country. For example, what are roses? It is a national symbol of England, the United States and Iran. Mac is a sign of the memory of those killed in the First World War in countries such as the United States, France and England.
• The cult of flowers in Egypt has a time span of more than 4000 years.
• The champion in terms of growth speed is a tulip. Its growth in a day reaches 20 mm.
• The most expensive flower in the world is a gold orchid, its cost is more than 5000 cu.
• Gladiolus is one of the most ancient plants. Its name was due to the similarity of his flower with a gladiator's sword.