The Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco, California is very proud of it’s latest exhibit The Plantosaurus Rex, and so they should be! The exhibit showcases 3 different periods the Triassic and Jurassic periods when plant life was rather boring and simple, devoid of colour but then it moves into the Cretaceous period and becomes a vivid kaleidoscope of colour as plants developed flowers & fruits.
So why the big change in plants? Most scientists believe with dinosaurs and other animals consuming plants it created an environment where plants had to reproduce quickly to stay alive, no longer did they have the luxury of living in a predator free environment.
This caused a significant evolution and soon the planet was covered in angiosperms, known more simply as flowering plants. The addition of flowers meant that in a much shorter period of time plants can sprout, grow, mature, set seed and ensure another generation.
For the exhibit Lau Hodges, director of operations and exhibitions at the Conservatory chose plants that were prevalent at the time like cycads and monkey puzzle trees. Orchids are also one of the first flowering plants, though their ancestors looked much different from the orchids of today.
Of course no exhibit of these periods would be complete without some dinosaurs! Along with a baby Stegosaurus, an Allosaurus & giant dragonflies there is a full sized (23 ft tall) Tyrannosaurus rex that appears to burst through the roof of the greenhouse. Add in the sound effects and it’s like taking a step back in time! This exhibit will run until October 21st and appeals to kids & adults alike.