Anastatica
| Rose of Jericho | |
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| Genus: | Anastatica
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| Species: | A. hierochuntica
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| Binomial name | |
| Anastatica hierochuntica | |
The Rose of Jericho, Resurrection plant, or Anastatica hierochuntica is a member of the family Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae) and the only member of the genus Anastatica. Both of the families are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, the class Magnoliopsida. It is a small grey herb native to western Asia, specifically Syria, that rarely grows above 15cm high. The plant bears minute, white flowers.
It is also known as the resurrection plant. These plants are found in arid areas such as Texas, Mexico, and Egypt, as well as Arabia and Syria.
The Rose of Jericho practices an odd behavior. It dries up, curling its stems into a tight ball. Propelled by the wind, it scatters its seeds across its path. Once the plant has scattered the seeds after drying, the seeds will sprout.
The seeds of the plant are also very hardy, being that they can lie dormant for years, and be revived by a little water. After drying up, the plant itself would expand and turn green under moist conditions, hence the name "resurrection plant."
Once dried, the plant is dead, but many people believe that's not true. Indeed, only a few hundred species of flowering plants are real "resurrection plants".
Because of the age of the plant, it has also taken the name "dinosaur plant."
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