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Apr. 12th, 2015 at 11:16 AM
This is the fruit of the Pollia condensate plant, which looks like a collection of iridescent marbles. Their beauty is the secret to their survival-particularly considering they offer no nutritional value.
The plants berries, which contain no pigment, are extremely attractive to birds. Their seeds are contained within the berry and are then distributed when they are snatched, presumably to add some bling to a nest or to help attract a mate.
Their unique appearance is the result of specially structured layers of cellulose which reflect light. Thicker layers of this cellulose reflect red and green while thinner layers shine blue. Unlike pigments, since the shine is produced by the structure of the cellulose, it never fades as long as the cellulose structure remains intact.
-Jean
Photo courtesy of Silvia Vignolini
(from The Earth Story FB page)
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