The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-02
FLOWER OF THE RESURRECTION
Reported 4 Have Been Discovered By
Russian BOtanIst IN Arabia.

Russian BOtAnist IN Arabia.
That mysterious blossom OF which only
one specimen has ever been found, and
that which that great naturalist Humboldt;
Obliged to own that he knew nothing like
IL in nature, named the flower Of the Resur-
rection," It will be remembered by those
of us old enough to recall 1s4S, writes q
| correspondent Of the London Globe, was
brought to Europe by DR.. Deck, who had
rome to Nubia on a shooting expedition.
He bedueathed it TO his friend Lannion, who
bestowed on Humboldt one OF the two
flowers on the plant which DR.. Deck brought
back.
This flower possessed the remarkable
power OF coming to life again though APP
parently dead when moistened with a little
water, b~lossoming afresh as II Just at is
apogee of beauty. This was not avariation Of
the Indian mango tree trick, for not only did
DIR. Deck frequently make the flower obey his
awakening touch, but Humboldt constantly
performed the experiment before the Ger
man Academy. II Ia this flower, eagerly
sought for but lost TO knowledge since the
days OF the Egyptians. which a Russian
botanist, Serge L~OstoukOf, claims TO have
discovered growing in an isolated corner
of Arabia. The news Is greatly interesting
the botanic world, and further information
is anxiously looked for.
The manner Of its OH ginally reaching tho
hands of DIR. Deck is not without a certain
interest and is more h a tinged with
romance. The sportsman found himself
through an accident unable to continue the
hunting expedition, and wandered into
Upper Egypt with the intention Of looking
for that Aladdin's palace, the emerald mines
Of the anCients. He fell in with an old
Arab. whom he carefully nursed and cured
Of a terrible illness: The Arab was poor
and unable TO pay in coin; he offered his
savior, however, a gift which hd said no
emperor or king could bestow. a magic
flower that would bloom at command.
He drew forth a few dried stems with
some closed, withered buds, 80 dried with
age that the plant cracked. h Arab ex-
planned that he had found IL 10 an old tomb
in the desert, where IL lay on the bosom Of
a young girls mummy, the human flower
as Drowned and withered as it's sister plant.
Souatting in the sun, the old Arab Rave DR.,
Deck, who was listening Incredulously, q
highly colored eulogium OF the miraculous
a few drops OF water over the withered
stems, when as II called back to life by a
charm, they began to tremble, to move, IN
contract and expand. Presently the buds
lifted themselves as their steme strength
ened and slowly inclosed one d~iaphanous
petal after another until they encircled .
central part.
The flower thus formed somewhat resen-
bled a daisy, but with a grace and beauty
all it's own. Within It's core lay seeds OF
PAOAAAHOg O0b eAO NaA AhVEo NAAA III OonAgE
OF the tomb had ~extinguished forever the
life germs within. While DR.. Deck watched
with fascinated gaze he saw the blossoms
gradually fade, wither and droop, and
the process reversed. In a few mlnutes
the plant had again taken the aspect OF
complete death. The stem had lost its
fresh color and was brown and dry, the
buds dropped on limp stalks like dry balls.
DIR. Deck brought back this wonderful
flower TO Europe, where IL excited great
interest. Many ennSts hav bean made
since 10 obtain other apccimens; botanista
nave eagerly sought all over Egypt for its
living prototype. and tombs have been
ransacked, but in vain The news OF its
discovery growing in Arabia is extremely
interesting, and is only another proof Of
the circle in which we are perpetually
travelling.
Though probably cultivated by the
ancients. already in the Middle Ages 10
was considered more or less a myth, for
though both the Rose Of Sharon and the
Rose Of the CTuRades-the form Of which
mny he studied on the tombs Of those ancient
heroes whose story In told by their crossed
legs some resemble II. neither il that
which We may hope to see for ourselves,
the real flower Of the Resurrection.