LOS BAñOS, Philippines, May 12 (UPI) -- As its name suggests, the newly discovered plant species Rinorea niccolifera can absorb large amounts of nickel without poisoning itself. The plant doesn't eat metal the way a Venus flytrap sucks down insects; instead, it absorbs it from the soil, thriving in nickel-rich dirt.
The plant was discovered by scientists from the University of Philippines. Lead researcher and author of a new paper on the plant, Professor Edwino Fernando, says the leaves of Rinorea niccolifera can absorb as much as 18,000 parts per million of the silvery-white metal -- that's up to 1,000 times more nickel than can safely be stored in most other plants.