Aren't plants afraid of fire? How did they learn to "add fuel to the fire" and "take advantage of the fire"?

In our impression, fires seem to mean a catastrophe for most plants. However, some plants are different. They have not only mastered the ability to "dance with fire" during their long evolution, but some can even "take advantage of the fire" to expand their living space, showing their tenacious vitality in an alternative way.

01The "Heroic Tree" That Is Not Afraid of Fire - Larch

Fire-resistant skills: The oil-free bark is difficult to penetrate by fire, and the sap secreted can isolate insect pests and fungal infections.

Image source: Pixabay

In northern my country, there grows a kind of tree that is not afraid of fire - larch. Why can larch survive a raging fire? Because its tall trunk is covered with a thick layer of bark, which contains almost no oil and is difficult to be burned through by fire. In the worst case, it is just burnt. This layer of bark is like a "protective suit" for firefighters, which plays a role in protecting the internal tissues of the trunk.

Secondly, larch can secrete a liquid with a strong bitter taste, which can fill and solidify the wound after burns, preventing many insect pests and fungi from "taking advantage of the fire". Therefore, larch has become a remarkable "hero tree" in the forest.

02Excellent "fire prevention expert" - Schima superba

Fire resistance: The leathery leaves have a water content of up to 42%, and the hard wood can enhance its fire resistance.

Among the trees that are not afraid of fire, the Schima superba, which is distributed in the vast mountainous areas from central to southern my country, is very famous. It can curb the spread of flames and is known as a "fire prevention expert". Its secret weapon lies in its high water content. The water content of the leathery leaves of Schima superba is as high as 42%, which means that nearly half of its leaves are water. This characteristic makes it invulnerable to ordinary forest fires. Secondly, the hard wood of Schima superba enhances its fire resistance, so that it only burns but does not burn under the scorching fire, and can still sprout new buds next year and restore its previous vitality.

03 "Actors" wearing fireproof suits - Protea

Fire resistance skills: Water and nutrients are stored in the underground rhizomes, and the hard seeds can withstand the scorching heat of fire.

In the face of fire, some plants will not sit and wait for death, but cleverly use fire to complete the continuation of the race, such as the famous king protea. King protea is the national flower loved by the people of South Africa. The place where they live is not only dry and barren, but also prone to fire. In order to adapt to the living environment, the king protea stores water and nutrients in the stem tubers at the root. When encountering a fire, even if the branches and leaves are scorched by the fire, the rhizomes hidden underground can survive the fire, and rely on the large amount of stored water and nutrients to re-sprout and grow leaves, and be reborn from the fire. In addition, the unique hard seeds of some members of the king protea family can withstand the scorching of fire, and even only release seeds when the fire is scorching, completing the reincarnation and renewal of life.

04The arsonist who added fuel to the fire: Eucalyptus

Fire prevention skills: Dormant epidermal buds are hidden deep in the bark and can be reborn after a fire.

Image source: Pixabay

This plant from Australia is not only not afraid of fire, but also "adds fuel to the fire"! It is one of Australia's most representative tree species - eucalyptus. Why did eucalyptus become an "arsonist"? Because its branches and leaves contain a large amount of eucalyptus oil with a low ignition point, it is easy to spontaneously combust and will fuel the power of the fire, becoming the culprit for the continuous spread of forest fires. However, when the eucalyptus "sets fire", it also leaves itself a way out. Deep in the bark of the eucalyptus tree are countless dormant epidermal buds, a large part of which can be reborn after the fire. This unique survival strategy makes it the overlord of the Australian jungle.

05 Dark-bellied "White Lotus" - Rock Rose

Fire prevention skills: The volatile oils from the stems and leaves cause spontaneous combustion, and the seeds protected by the fireproof shell can grow rapidly.

Image source: Pixabay

Coincidentally, a shrub that grows in the Mediterranean can be regarded as the "Phoenix" of the plant world. Rock rose has evolved the strange ability of "playing with fire and getting burned". In the dry and hot summer, the stems and leaves of rock rose will volatilize a lot of oil. Once the outside temperature exceeds 32°C, spontaneous combustion may occur. The fire will not only burn the rock rose to ashes, but also sweep away other plants around it. However, the seeds of rock rose can be preserved intact because they are protected by a fireproof shell. Moreover, after the stimulation of the fire, the seeds inside these fruits can "wake up" from dormancy and quickly germinate and grow. The new generation of rock roses is reborn in this scorched earth and completes the mission of expanding its territory.

It is the survival wisdom evolved over billions of years that allows plants to not only be reborn from the ashes, but even use fire to achieve the reproduction and growth of their species.

Contributor: Chongqing Science and Technology Museum Author: Qiu Xi, founder of Ribose Apartment Natural Science Popularization Communication Studio Review expert: Li Chunli Statement: Except for original content and special instructions, some pictures are sourced from the Internet for non-commercial purposes and are only used as popular science materials. The copyright belongs to the original author. If there is any infringement, please contact us to delete it.