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Carnivorous Plants
Botany, the study of plants, can be a tedious subject given the numerous varieties of plants that are available to study, along with their similarities, and redundancy. However, a bright spot in the plant community is the carnivorous plants, the meat-eaters - the gory plants that science fiction novels are made about. There are almost 600 species of these plants that eat meat growing in the wild, and these plants not only have an intimidating look, but some species can eat "frogs, birds or even small monkeys" (Stiefel 65).
What Makes Carnivorous Plants Different From Regular Plants?
Carnivorous plants are not all that different from regular plants. The posses the abilities to attract insects (or other prey), capture them, kill them, digest them, and absorb the nutrients. Noncarnivorous plants have flowers that attract insects (think bees) and some even can capture insects; some flowers have the toxic compounds to kill insects that are feeding on them, and all plants have molecules that can digest matter, as well as the root systems to absorb nutrients - carnivorous plants just use all of their abilities in distinct, unique ways that allow for them to essentially eat insects. (Rice)
What Kind of Carnivorous Plants Exist, and Where?
Venus' Flytrap is only one of about 600 species of carnivorous plants. Taxonomically speaking, all carnivorous plants are in the Kingdom Plantae, as well as the Division Anthophyta. Anthophyta contains all flowering plants, also known as angiosperms (Rice). The majority of carnivorous plants exist in the class Dicotyledones, though some are monocots (Rice). Because of years of evolution, as well as varying taxonomical changes, there are variations in the order-family-genus arrangements, but the one shown below is provided by Barry Rice, and the International Carnivorous Plant Society.
The Classical Arrangement
FAMILY-
GENUS
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION
Sarraceniales
Sarraceniaceae
Darlingtonia (1 species) northwest USA
Heliamphora (6 species) north-central South America
Sarracenia (10...
America, Europe, Asia
Utricularia (221 species) global
Martyniaceae
Ibicella (1, non-carnivorous)
South American, a common weed
Bromeliales
Bromeliaceae
Brocchinia (2 species)
South America
Catopsis (1 species)
Florida, South America
Barry Rice, (http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq5035.html, Accessed November 17, 2002)
Venus' Flytrap, In More Detailyoung Venus' Flytrap, from Botanical Society of America (http://images.botany.org)
Because the Venus' Flytrap is the most well-known, easily recognizable carnivorous plant, it is one of the easiest to explain in detail. As well as being relatively popular, the Venus' Flytrap is also one of the more gruesome carnivorous plants, as well.
To start, the leaves of Venus' Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) have short, stiff hairs on the edges that are called trigger hairs (BSA). When any stimulus touches one of the hairs enough to move it, the leaves snap shut, which traps whatever is inside. If the object is not an insect, but rather a rock, or leaf, the leaves…
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html. Accessed 11/17/02
Stiefel, Chana. "Meat-Eating Plants." Science World. 220 March 2000, pp. 65-66
Stone, Doris. The Lives of Plants. New York, New York: Scribner & Sons. 1983, 304 pages.
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