Venus' Flower Basket
The Venus's Flower Basket, or Euplectella aspergillum is a hexactinellid sponge in the phylum Porifera inhabiting the deep ocean. In traditional Asian cultures, this particular sponge (in a dead, dry state) was given as a wedding gift because the sponge symbiotically houses two small shrimp, a male and a female, who live out their lives inside the sponge. They breed, and when their offspring are tiny, the offspring escape to find a Venus Flower Basket of their own. The shrimp inside the basket clean it and, in return, the basket provides food for the shrimp by trapping it in its tissues and then releasing wastes into the body of the sponge for the shrimp. It is also speculated that the bioluminescent light of bacteria harnessed by the sponge may attract other small organisms which the shrimp eat.
They were also extremely popular in Victorian England, and one could easily fetch five guineas, equivalent to over £500 today.
Read more about Venus' Flower Basket: Optical Fibers and Solar Cells, Material Strength
Famous quotes containing the words flower and/or basket:
“Any time you’ve got nothing to do—and lots of time to do it—come on up.”
—Mae West, U.S. screenwriter, W.C. Fields, and Edward Cline. Flower Belle Lee (Mae West)
“Kenneth Penmark: What’ll you give me if I give you a basket of kisses?
Rhoda: I’ll give you a basket of hugs.”
—John Lee Mahin (1902–1984)