【英文朗读】Scientists discover world's 'shiest' flower

Scientists discover world's 'shiest' flower

00:08①Chinese scientists have discovered four species of Gentiana on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau whose flowers can close within seconds of being touched, making them the most sensitive flowers in the world, according to a recently published study. 

00:23②Netizens on Chinese social media have affectionately dubbed the flowers the "shiest" and "most humble" flora in the world. The rapid movement of petals has always been fascinating to scientists and nature lovers, as unlike animals, plants are generally perceived as static organisms. 

00:42③Some specialized leaves of carnivorous plants can react to touch within a matter of seconds, such as the Venus flytrap. Prior to the Gentiana discoveries, the only other known flower to display such behavior was the sundew plant. The sundew can contract its crown within two to 10 minutes after stimulation, according to the study in China's English-language scientific journal, Science Bulletin. 

01:09④However, the four Gentiana species take seven to 210 seconds to close their petals, making them the most sensitive and fast-reacting flowers in the world, the study said. 

01:21⑤The flowers were discovered in 2020 near a lake in Nagchu, Tibet autonomous region. The discoveries were made during the ongoing second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research mission, which began in August 2017.