A Schteinn Science Report - Circular
Photographs taken by the Deep Space Explorer Satellite - MrPeabody IV. Designed and built by the Engineering Department of the Schteinn College Of The Sophisticated Sciences
Mars
Florasanguinidae haboobtatteri var. Marsplanetoides
Common Name: Red Planet Dusty Wind-Flower
A Harsh Martian Environs
This highly unique, diminutive flower (2 to 6.4 cm across), is found only on Mars, the 4th closest planet to the Sun in our solar system. (Earth is number 3, but we will refrain from discussing the flowers of our home planet, as this study is focused on the flowering plants of the other 7 planets of our system.)
Though not as in-hospitable as Mercury or Venus, the first two planets discussed in this series, Mars still poses a stark reality to any plant attempting to thrive on the surface of the planet. Temperatures are within a more reasonable range (-60° C to +20° C at the equator.) An almost tepid area for plants to grow, on the Planetary Scale of Biological Difficulty (PSBD).
However, there is still no water to be found upon the surface of the planet, and the atmosphere is composed of 96% CO², though 100 times less dense than the atmosphere here on Earth.
Of Red Rock and Red Plants
Often called "The Red Planet", Mars gets it's red coloration from the iron-rich minerals prevalent in the loose material of the Martian surface. Rooting and growing in this iron-rich substrate is what gives Florasanguinidae h. it's deep red hue, as evidenced in the photo above. The plant takes on it's signature red coloration from the molecules it incorporates into it's cellular structure from the dusty soil of the planet.
Born of Dust Storms, Dry Ice Snowfall, and A Very Walled Existence
Grand Canyons Of Mars
Our red flowering plant, Florasanguinidae haboobtatteri is found only along the canyon walls and hidden shelves of the Valles Marineris, the incredible system of immense gorges and chasms that bisect parts of the Martian surface.
Unbelievable as it sounds, some of these canyons are as deep as 10 km (60 miles) and run a length of 4000 km (2500 miles) long. This is 1/5 the circumference of the entire Martian planet!
As a distance comparison, if you laid this Grand Canyon-esqe chasm at a diagonal across the United States, it would stretch all the way from Goshenville, PA to Pearblossom, CA !! Some parts of these huge gully's actually widen out to 100 km (60 miles) in places.
However impressive the deep ravines of Mars may be, our plant is very specialized in its habitat choices along these huge divides. It hangs out only on the upper walls and shelves of the most narrow of canyons ( 10- 30 m wide), and specializes even further, growing only 3 to 10 meters below the lip/edge of any valley wall. A very curious and amazing niche location, but upon further study, Mars offers good reason for these habitat adaptations.
CO² 'Snowstorms'
Recent studies have shown that there are CO² clouds on Mars, and that they occasionally drop a type of snowfall, in the form of CO², or 'dry ice', as we call it on Earth. It is now thought that this plant Florasanguinidae h. gathers this ice-fall as a sustenance, and utilizes it as a source of nutrition, just as plants on Earth utilize water.
This is the first of two reasons this plant only inhabits the shelves, nooks and crannies of the upper reaches of the canyon walls. This is the best zone for collection of the CO² 'ice fall' onto the petal of the flower, eventually dripping down to the roots for use.
If these plants were living much further down the vertical canyon walls, ice-fall collection would be very difficult as air currents swirl in UN-predictable vortices of motion in deep-walled areas.
Planet-Wide Haboobs
The second, and largest reason the red flowering plant inhabits the areas right below the canyon wall, is that it is out of the wind during the incredible dust storms (called Haboobs on Earth), that take place on Mars. These storms are absolutely immense, sometimes blanketing THE ENTIRE PLANET, and can last for months at a time. This is an incredibly harsh environment to live within. And is what leads to the most amazing adaptation of our small, red-flowering plant.
Sand and wind together are an incredibly abrasive medium. Human-created, sand and pressurized-air machines on Earth are occasionally combined with water, and used to cut concrete. A small, lithe flower does not stand a chance against months of this type of activity, water or no water involved.
Just Like Grandpa's Coin-purse
This is where Florasanguinidae h. really shines in the adaptation department, botanically speaking. The entire flower is surrounded by a leathery 'cup' that folds up and over the flower whenever the winds pick up above 7 km/hr.
Much like one of those collapsible leather coin-purses of old that grandfather's used to carry spare change around in, the casement 'leaves' fold up and completely close and seal over the flower, to protect it from high winds and particle storms.
NOTE: Parts of this outer covering (yellow/tan) can be seen in the photo enclosed. (photo right)
Interestingly, the flower displayed in this publication demonstrates heavy levels of damage to the petals in some places arising from these abrasive dust storms. A few of the petals are torn and show wear-holes where wind-born dust and sand have abraded away the surface, and burned the edges to total black.
Though very sturdy, the leathery encasement cannot withstand sustained winds > 100 km/hr for more than a week or two, without 'leaking in' some of the damaging, wind-born dust particles. Once this happens, small 'dust devils' twirl about in the flower encasement, slowly abrading holes in the petals of the flower, much like larger versions in the desert areas on Earth. (Damage: Photo center-left/lower center)
This trait of suffering damage at the hand of a wind storm is a common occurrence for this plant growing on Mars, and is where Florasanguinidae haboobtatteri derives it's scientific name.
Future Research
Further study into this species is needed, once we expand space exploration and land human biologists on the surface of Mars. Discussions of travel to Mars have picked up in the last few years, and we at the Schteinn College Of The Sophisticated Sciences are hoping to be picked as a member of one of these expeditions to the Red Planet. My nephew is involved in the private space program, so I am hoping I might have an 'in' when the day finally arrives.
Botanical Summary/Comparisons
Closest Comparative Plant on Earth: NONE
Reproduction Methodology: Asexual, due to high winds
Size Range: Estimated .3 cm to .8 cm in height
Life Span: ~12 Martian years
Colorization: Red, rose, crimson, bordering on occasional scarlet. Never wine.
Poste Script: This image may have received "just a wee bit" of manipulation by the author, to get the colors "just right" for this particular Deep Science Project.
Seven Day Series -- Photos Of Cool Plants Of Our Solar System
Indigo Saturday -- Planet Mercury
Violet Sunday -- Planet Venus
[Official Science Press Credential Here]
A huge shout-out from the freelance Science Reporter's cardboard holler-horn goes out to the amazing 
