Rare $480-Worth Chinese Medicine Plant Learns to Hide From Humans

In China, a rare plant got even rarer, but not because their population is running thin.

The much-sought after and already hard to find Fritillaria delavayi became harder to obtain as the plant species developed an ability that makes it tricky to track.

Fritillaria delavayi grows three to five bright green leaves and a short stem; once a year, it produces a bright, tulip-shaped, yellow-hued flower. But that eye-catching yellow flower and those vibrant green leaves have started to grow gray and brown in this Fritillaria species. Scientists suspect the plant is genetically evolving drabber parts to hide from its main predator-humans.

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In Demand

Because of the plant's innate beauty, the commercial harvesting of the Fritillaria delavayi has greatly intensified. But, the demand is not a new trend. It has been around for generations.

The Fritillaria delavayi has been used for at least 2,000 years for medicinal purposes, but steadily increasing demand and insufficient supply have triggered a treasure hunt for more.

Now, a kilo (2.2 lbs) of the plant can average at around $480. The bulbs are only as small as a thumbnail meaning more than 3,500 individual plants had to be harvested to reach a kilo.

Some Fritillaria plants can be farmed, but the delayavi requires specific environmental conditions to flourish. It needs high elevations in cold, dry air, conditions that farmers find difficult to replicate, and consumers think the wild varieties are better, though there's no evidence to show that's true.

Camouflage

Scientists discovered that the color of the plant's leaves has become more camouflaged - matching the background rocks on which they grow - in areas where there is more harvesting pressure from people.

To hide from the harvesters and pickers, the Fritillaria delavayi rapidly evolved to produce duller colored leaves and flowers. The once bright green hue of the plants is now grey and brown, making it harder for the human eyes to locate.

Human Influence

The change in the Fritillaria delavayi natural color seems to be the result of an attempt to adapt to its surroundings to hide from humans.

"Like other camouflaged plants we have studied, we thought the evolution of camouflage of this fritillary had been driven by herbivores, but we didn't find such animals," said Dr. Yang Niu, of the Kunming Institute of Botany, and co-author of the study in Current Biology. "Then we realized humans could be the reason."

"It's remarkable to see how humans can have such a direct and dramatic impact on the coloration of wild organisms, not just on their survival but on their evolution itself," said Prof Martin Stevens, of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter. "Many plants seem to use camouflage to hide from herbivores that may eat them - but here we see camouflage evolving in response to human collectors.

It might seem farfetched at first, but the idea that plants, and other species, forcibly adapting due to human interference is not entirely fictional. The plant is not even the first species to do so.

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