"Zombie Fern: Reviving Dead Leaves to Nourish Itself"

The Cyathea rojasiana, a tree fern species found in Panama, has the unique ability to reanimate its dead leaves, which then transform into living roots that draw nutrients from the soil to feed the rest of the plant. This remarkable adaptation is believed to have evolved to extract nutrients from poor volcanic soils and is the first known instance of a fern repurposing its leaves in this way. The plant's slow growth and specific environmental conditions have contributed to the development of this extraordinary survival strategy.