Observational sketches : Sahara and Rainforest plants [WEEK 4]

Something I did to contribute to the research element of this project is looking into the types of plants that are found in both the Sahara and rainforests in general, This way I can use this information to inform my design choices further down the line. According to Gritzner and Peel, the plants that are most commonly found in the Sahara desert are Mastic trees, Saguaro cacti, Date palms, Tamarisk, desert gourd, and desert thyme. (2024) I did some observational sketches of these plants and found some similarities in the plants appearance and adaptations. To survive the hot days and cool nights of the Sahara desert, coupled with the harsh sunlight, these plants have adapted to have small leaves, woody bark and stems, waxy coverings on their leaves and fruits to protect them from direct sunlight. All of these plants are very resilient, not very colourful and generally have quite sharp appearances. I also looked at the types of fruits these plants produce, the Desert Gourd, Mastic tree and Date palm produce either many small fruits with a large stone, or large fruits packed with many seeds, this way there is a higher chance for the plant's seeds to be spread through animals ingesting the fruit or the stones being buried under the ground easier. Most of these fruits are inedible for humans or at the very least bitter tasting, with a lot of preparation being needed to make these fruits palatable. 

Rainforest plants on the other hand are quite brightly coloured with large leaves and floral displays. This is due to the damp environment being home to many bugs and insects that will be drawn to the flora through these bright colours and elaborate patterns. With this in mind, there is quite a high proportion of carnivorous plant life in the rainforest that will consume the insects that fall into them, some examples of this are the Rafflesia Arnodii and the Nepenthes, also known as the Stinking corpse lily and the pitcher plant. Many fruits that grow in the rainforest are also seed dense so that there is a higher likelihood of the seeds being spread by animals, though unlike the desert fruits, Jungle fruits are sweet and mostly edible which makes them more appealing to be eaten by creatures. The plants I chose to study I mostly found through an article by Delfin Amazon Cruises, in which they list several plants such as The cacao tree and Passionflower, Though I also knew about the Stinking corpse lily and Nepenthes so I wanted to include them too. 

Comparing these two environments flora, I can see there are some quite bold differences in their characteristics. One has quite small, hardy and woody appearances, another is bold, colourful and unique. By combining aspects of both of these plants it is my hope that i will be able to make some new plants that look like they belong somewhere in the middle of the two settings. It could be a result of evolution of the desert plants to better fit in with the new Sahara's setting or it could be down to human intervention through genetic mutation.

Bibliography:

Websites:

Delfinamazoncruises, 2024. What Plants Are in the Amazon Rainforest?

 [online]. Delfinamazoncruises. Available at: https://www.delfinamazoncruises.com/amazon-flora/what-plants-are-in-the-amazon-rainforest/ [Accessed 17 October 2024]. 

Gritzner, J., Peel,  F., 2024. Plant Life [online]. Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Sahara-desert-Africa/Plant-life [Accessed 17 October 2024].