When The Rain Hits These Magical Little Flowers, They Seem To Vanish

Tiny flowers in the woods are always kind of magical, but some of them possess qualities that make them a bit more magical than others. Take Diphylleia grayi, for example, which also goes by the rather more dramatic name of "skeleton flower." This might sound a little morbid, but the flower itself is actually incredibly beautiful.

These little white flowers grow in Asia and in some parts of North America. They typically look pretty normal.

When it starts to rain, however, something interesting happens.

Yahoo! Japan

The white petals become transparent when they come in contact with water!

Minkara

You can then see their tiny petal "skeletons" inside!

Hiking Moto

Yahoo! Japan

The flowers seem to fade right into their surroundings, except for their yellow pollen.

Yahoo! Japan

Since it grows in damp areas, the water and the transformation don't harm the plant at all.

MoriYoshi diagram of Ebetsu

When the rain stops and things dry off, the petals go back to their opaque white state.

Let's take a moment to appreciate this tiny, magical flower.

MoriYoshi diagram of Ebetsu

 

(via deMilked, My Modern Met)
The skeleton flower, which is much more benign and pretty than its name might suggest, is most commonly found in the lush mountainside forests in the cooler regions of Japan and China. It is a favorite flower among hikers and nature lovers. If you're ever in that particular area of the world and find yourself on a hiking trip, be sure to keep an eye out — if it's been raining, though, you might have a hard time spotting them!