Warning: Read Here To See The World's Ugliest Orchid

The ugliest orchid in the world…

The Royal Botanic Garden, Kew located in London has come out with its list of newly discovered plants at the end of 2020. Noted as one of the largest and most diverse collection of botanical species in the world and leading in research, we trust Kew's opinion on the matter. In 2020, they discovered the Gastrodia agnicellus, a leave-less, fungi-dependent orchid, and is included in around 40 other orchids that have recently been discovered last year.

Here is Kew's description of this newly discovered orchid and what makes it not so ugly: 

"Most people think of orchids as showy, vibrant and beautiful, but Gastrodia agnicellus, newly named this year from a forest in Madagascar, is quite the opposite. The 11mm flowers of this orchid are small, brown and rather ugly. After the G. agnicellus is pollinated, the stalks grow, holding the fruits well above the forest floor so that the dust-like seeds can better disperse. The orchid depends on fungi for nutrition and has no leaves or any other photosynthetic tissue. The new orchid has been assessed as threatened, but with a small range occurring within an already protected national park, the plants do have some protection for now."

Do you think this orchid is really that ugly? Let us know by email at madaliving@outlook.com!