Hello Steemit friends! How are you today? In this post I want to share a story about the Purple Cleome.
Behind my house, I stumbled upon tiny flowers that demanded the use of a macro lens to truly appreciate their intricate beauty. At first, their name eluded me, but a quick search with Google Lens informed me that they are known as ‘tree spider flowers’ or ‘purple cleome’ locally, or Cleome Rutidosperma in Latin.
These blooms are part of an invasive plant species, commonly seen in oil palm plantations and other agricultural areas. It’s no surprise they flourish behind my home, where an unproductive field has been left to nature, becoming overrun with various shrubs and undergrowth.
Though these plants are typically considered pests because they can diminish the productivity of crops, they also possess compounds with anti-cancer properties, such as alkaloids and flavonoids. These compounds have the potential to serve as anti-cancer agents, capable of stopping the growth of cancer cells at certain stages or during cell cycle events, effectively halting the mitosis of cancer cells at metaphase. Thus, these plants could be surprisingly beneficial for cancer patients.
I quickly grabbed my Vivo v23 camera, equipped with an external macro lens, to capture their subtle charm. The grey shades they emitted only added to the allure of these flowers. I hope you too can appreciate their beauty.
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