Calling all plant experts!

I do like a mystery!  If any of you plant experts can help me with my little mystery, I'd be very grateful.


On Boxing Day I was in a well-known supermarket.  I'd paid for my shopping and was leaving the store, when I spotted an assistant standing by a trolley full of bouquets of flowers.

Always keen for a bargain, I asked her if she was about to reduce them - they were "Christmassy" bouquets.  She replied that she was about to throw them out, so if I wanted any, I was welcome to take some.

I picked myself up from the floor and selected a few bunches, including a couple for Rachel - isn't she lucky to have such a generous mother??

Anyway, the last of the flowers I composted this morning - they have lasted incredibly well - but some of the greenery is still  going strong.

Amongst the green stems is one that I haven't come across before.  I removed a few of its leaves early on, as they seemed to have a slight lump on them.  I assumed it was some sort of disease - but no!

Over the weeks these lumps developed and grew.  I wondered if it was  new method of propogations - you know, little plantlets developing ready to drop down into the compost.  Nothing in nature surprises me.  Or so I thought.

Just look at the photos.

I was wrong!!  These small lumps have become tiny flowers, yes, really -flowers.  Even more strange than that is the way in which they grow; on one row of leaves the flowers are on the top surface of the leaf, then on the next row of leaves they are underneath the leaf, then on top, then underneath.  Absolutely amazing!

If you have any idea what they are, please, please tell me!  I've had a quick "Google", as you do, but failed to find anything like them.

The photos aren't the best in the world, but you can see what I mean, can't you?  All ideas welcomed:)