Hoax – A plant called Florifugia monticola exists and walks among the Andes mountains.
Analysis
A video shared on social networks like Facebook and Instagram presents a supposed plant called “Florifugia monticola,” which would walk among mountains and bloom on special occasions. The viral video has versions in several languages and is being shared as if it showed a unique biological phenomenon. In it, the supposed plant appears moving near a window before blooming in a spectacular fashion.
With poetic narration and striking imagery, the narrative blends elements of fantasy with detailed botanical descriptions. The story describes a hybrid creature, part plant, part animal, that would live in the Andes and serve as a climatic omen for locals. Read the message and watch the video:
Florifugia monticola — The flower that walks in the mountains. Among the lonely peaks of the Andes, where the wind whispers secrets to the rocks and the sky feels closer to the heart, people speak of a creature that almost no one has seen — but some will never forget. Its name, whispered by shepherds and old wanderers, is Florifugia monticola. They say it is neither plant nor beast. It is both. An insect with a flower’s soul. A being that emerges from silence, blooms at dusk, and vanishes before anyone can doubt.
It was sighted by a traveler, in a remote wooden refuge, lost among the clouds. He reports that the being appeared suddenly, walking along the window ledge as if in a hurry. It stopped. Then it began to bloom. First, dorsal petals opened — thin, translucent, as if made of light and wind. Then filaments appeared, spreading like the hair of a fallen star. When it seemed to be over, the creature retracted its petals. But the show was not finished.
Fact-check
The video about “Florifugia monticola” raised doubts among many users, but it’s a fake. To verify it, let’s answer the following: 1) Does the plant Florifugia monticola really exist? 2) How was the video featuring Florifugia monticola made? 3) Is there any known plant that walks or moves?
Does the plant Florifugia monticola really exist?
No. The plant “Florifugia monticola” does not exist in any official botanical records, such as those maintained by institutions like the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of the world’s leading plant databases. The scientific name is fictional and was created solely for the video’s storyline. There is no scientific article, herbarium sample, or reliable document confirming its existence.
How was the video featuring Florifugia monticola made?
The video originates from the @oleg.pars account, which produces artistic content. It’s a fictional piece, like other creations from the same account that also depict non-existent creatures and plants, often with a surrealist and poetic aesthetic. These videos are intended to be artistic, not scientific, although their realistic appearance misleads some viewers into spreading misinformation.
Is there any known plant that walks or moves?
There is no plant that moves like the one shown in the video. Some species, such as the Mimosa pudica (sensitive plant), respond to touch with rapid leaf movements. Others, like climbing plants, grow toward light or support. But no known plant has the ability for voluntary and conscious movement as suggested in the “Florifugia monticola” tale. That behavior belongs to animals and is incompatible with plant biology.
Conclusion
The content about “Florifugia monticola” is fictional. The plant does not exist, the name is made up, and the video was created using artificial intelligence. The suggestion that it is a real creature is unfounded and part of an artistic, not scientific, narrative. No known plant can walk or bloom like in the analyzed video.
Fake news ❌
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