I have always been fascinated by this plant called a pitcher plant. Went tot he Flea Market today with John Greene and was able to get one for 20 dollars and it is awesome.... So here is some information on them if you want to know more like i did Kingdom: Plantae (Plants) Subkingdom: Embryophyta Division: Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants) Subdivision: Spermatophyta (Seed Plants) Class: Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) Subclass: Monocotyledons (Monocots) Families: Nepenthaceae and Sarraceniaceae Perhaps the Pitcher plant is the most mysterious leaf in the whole wide universe. With its unique ability to obtain food, it has inspired multitudes to reshape their concept on how nature really works. Contradictory to what we always think, the pitcher plant does not really look like the one we have on the fridge. Rather, most of them resemble goblets of all shapes and sizes! These meat-eating pitcher plants belong to two large families of monocots—the Nepenthaceae (Old World) and Sarraceniaceae (New World). The pitchers under the Old World clan live high above a tree. Because there is not much of a food source up there, the plant resorts to find an alternative source of nutrients. What it does is to fold the ends of its leaves like a cup and concocts nectar juices and waits daintily for its helpless victims. Meanwhile, the New World family members enjoy the attention of many more insects while staying on ground. Unlike its relative who lives up in the trees, these pitchers actually form a whole pitcher out of its leaf. Nothing excites more awe and suspense than seeing a Pitcher Plant with your own eyes. With its deeply folded leaves, the cup-shaped plant stores up a sweet-smelling juice which lures an unsuspecting insect into its mouth. And when it is about to sip…an unfortunate thing happens. Unable to climb back, this fallen insect flails helplessly in the fluid until it loses energy and submits to the overpowering force of its fate. So what happens to the ill-fated insect? Much like the animals, the pitcher plant “eats” the poor thing up. How does this seemingly harmless plant do such thing? The secret lies in the juice. This liquid is no ordinary nectar. It actually contains chemicals (that are similar to those found in the stomach) that could slowly munch and swallow the skin of its prey until it dissolves completely—becoming the very juice that it once tried to drink. Such is an event is an everyday happening for these pretty pitcher plants. Did you know that the larger pitchers could even trap small frog, snakes and birds inside? But even though they are deadly traps for mosquitoes, please don’t believe in science fiction flicks where they could gulp down a person!
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 22:31:40 +0000
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