It’s the only known plant species that relies on the lunar cycle for survival – and we found out by complete accident. At night, Ephedra foeminea, a non-flowering relative of conifers and cycads, secretes small translucent globules of sugary liquid to attract nocturnal pollinating insects. The globules are like tiny beads oozing out from cone-shaped female organs, where the seeds are produced. If a pollinator lands on a globule, any pollen it is carrying is absorbed via the liquid into the female cone, where it fertilises the seed.