Strelitzia / Crane Flower / Bird of Paradise Flower

Plants are definitely not my speciality, and to be completely honest, the only plant names I really know are Daisies, Carnations, Roses...and I think that's about it. Don't even ask me what their scientific names are! Nope...won't do you any good.

But, because of my love for anything science fiction, supernatural, story-like and presented in a colourful, action-packed, adrenaline pumped movie setting, I tend to stumble across little pockets of information, handed to me by gifted script-writers and storytellers. This information usually prompts me to dust off my own investigative tendencies, inspiring me to do some research of my own, filling in the blanks and broadening my horizons.

One such 'pocket of information' is contained in a story-arc in the Farscape series. The Scarrans are a fierce and formidable enemy of a faction of Sebaceans, called Peacekeepers, who have taken it upon themselves to patrol and police a galaxy unreachable by standard human (intergalactic) transportation. Both the Scarrans and Sebaceans (99% human) fight for the right to 'own' the Unchartered Territories of their Universe.

However, the Scarrans are physically and mentally much more advanced (and downright scary) than the Sebaceans. Which brings me to the Strelitzia Flower. This plant single-handedly gives the Scarrans the mental upper-hand, and by ingesting it, they ensure that they stay in control of most of the Universe. But, it's in very short supply, which brings us to a big plot development when they realize in (to them) a 'galaxy far far away, on a planet called earth...and in a country called South Africa', this plant grows freely! Dum-dum-dum!!!!

Okay...so, that little bit of a back story, was done in part to explain to you why I'm sitting behind my computer, smiling, snickering and laughing at my natural train of thought....

I had just walked past the bathroom at my work...and the chosen flower for decoration? You guessed it: Strelitzia! And my very first thought was: "Scarran food!!!"

I love randomness!!

Wanda