Yes. It's that plant that flowers every twelve years. Grows in the south of my beloved country. Once it flowers - after twelve years - what do you think it would do? Die. That's what. We are already killing it and now it has given up. Sukumar has a story for you.
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If you go to the ScienceBlogs front page you will see that The Buzz word of the day is Pluto.
So, in the Free-Ride house we're pleased as punch that Pluto hasn't lost its planetary status. (No, we don't consider the "plutons" lesser planets.
Fawziya Ammodi was 12 years old. She was a little girl in Yemen — she would still be in elementary school in the US, or would be just entering middle school.
The problem with the holiday season is that it just flies by so fast-- it seems like you've barely finished clearing away the Thanksgiving dishes, and then you find that you've already missed Mellowmas.
How does it know to count to exactly 12?
Sukumar has some pointers that talk about accumulation of nutrients for seeding take 12 years. I didn't get very far with it. IANAPB (I am not a Plant Biologist, bleh), but is it possible that this is somehow related to how some insects like cicadas synchronize their reproductive cycles to evade predators? (But then, the evational tactics seem to need prime numbered years. I am way out of my depth here.)
we must save that beautiful flower