April Fool joke in 2006
On 1st of April 2006 I sent a message to MESEMBS list:
Subject: One more new Lithops species found! Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2006 11:54:28 +0700 Scientific expedition of Central Siberian Botanic Garden discovered a new Lithops species in Amazonian jungles.
New species is named L. desmondii (after Desmond Llewelyn). It has large white flowers, green bodies and develops new heads often -- many plants have more than 200 heads.
Seeds will be available next year for Mesemb Study Group members only.
Didge Rowe supported my joke and wrote:
… this is also the only carnivorous mesemb ever discovered. It exudes a chemical that attracts tiny nematode worms that are then killed by another chemical exuded from the mantle of each plant-body. The decaying worms provide essential nutrients that are absorbed by the roots of this fascinating species. …
Even then some people sent me private message asking if it is a joke.
Sure it is!
© 2006 Ivan Boldyrev