An amazing creation of nature - carnivorous plants (13 photos). A predator plant that eats insects: description with photo

Our planet is colorful and diverse. What kind of unusual creatures nature does not surprise us. The inhabitants of seas and rivers, forests and steppes, deserts and jungles are so unusual that sometimes they natural beauty is just a signal that a given creature or plant poses a predatory danger, and sometimes a fatal one. Among the diversity of plants, scientists and ecologists have identified several special ones that never cease to amaze the human eye. And in some cases, the sense of smell.

Velvichia- an amazing tree that can be found in the desert. It can live up to two thousand years. Its trunk looks like a small stump, from which a maximum of two leaves grow in different directions, the length of which can reach eight meters. People who see this strange tree for the first time associate it with an alien creature - the stems of Welwitschia curl inward and have an unpleasant brown color. But in this way the tree retains moisture in its trunk.

This flower always attracts many flies - despite its beauty, it has a nasty aroma, which is compared to the smell of a corpse. However, this plant is considered healing - decoctions from it help women recover after childbirth, and men gain virility.

Prickly Pear Bigelow- a cactus, but an unusual cactus. The thing is that he is... fluffy. This plant is often used as a hedge. The fruits of this plant are used to prepare medicinal potions that can quickly heal bleeding wounds.

Nepenthes- a real predator. This is a plant that eats insects that were careless to “land” on fruits that look like pitchers. Each of them contains fragrant nectar that attracts insects. Once inside the jug, they become food for a bloodthirsty plant - the jug is filled with almost a liter of liquid, which emits a sweet aroma. Insects that fall into this liquid die within a short time under the influence of enzymes produced by the plant. Sometimes small birds and even rodents can become its prey.

Another predator - Venus flytrap, which is also called the killer plant. A very beautiful bright plant has leaves that act as jaws. As soon as the prey lands on such a leaf, it instantly finds itself in a trap - a second leaf covers it. For ten days, the Venus flytrap digests the living food it comes across. And not only insects, but also small rodents and birds can become food.

Predatory plants- these are one of the most unusual representatives of the flora of our planet, one might say, a miracle of the natural world.

It is common to hear about animals that feed on other living beings, but the fact that creatures incapable of movement and any active interaction with their environment can also devour someone will seem incredible to many.

They are different from other plants and live in conditions unbearable for most green creatures, which is why they have to be predators.

Why do they do this?

The reason why predator plants appeared is simple. They must obtain the bulk of nutrients with the help of roots from the soil in which they are located, but due to the fact that in many parts of the world there is such soil in which there are practically no substances necessary for the normal functioning of most plants, they had to adapt and receive them by eating other creatures. This is the only way they receive the components necessary for life.

These plants can eat not only insects, but also arthropods. They have a digestive system - just like animals. Scientists now know more than 600 species of carnivorous plants. Each of them has its own diet and its own methods of catching prey. Besides, they have various ways luring victims and peculiar traps.

In addition to their unusual abilities, most of these plants have a very beautiful and bright color, and many have a strong smell. Among this diversity, one can distinguish the most famous representatives of the predatory plant world.

Types of carnivorous plants

It's pretty rare plant, which naturally grows in the south of North America, for which it is also called Californian. Her habitat- reservoirs with running and cool water. And she lives under water.
This underwater predator feeds on various insects, small crustaceans and other river life.
Their fishing method is quite unique.- it does not use its leaves directly; the victim is trapped through a crab claw, this is an asymmetrical process, a kind of mini-labyrinth. Once inside, the insect has no chance.
Darlingtonia affects it with bright colors from the inside of the trap, which leads to complete disorientation in space and further death.

In this case, the name speaks for itself. It can be called one of the most common and famous representatives of carnivorous plants.
The food for the flycatcher is insects and arachnids. It is able to distinguish a living organism from a nonliving one.
Catching prey occurs as follows: The flytrap has two leaves, which, when the victim hits them, instantly collapse and close, but if the insect reacts quickly, then it is possible to get out.
The edges of the trap-like trap gradually begin to grow together. Digestion of prey occurs inside this peculiar stomach. Moreover, despite its danger, the flower has a very pleasant smell, thanks to which it attracts greedy insects. The picturesque appearance of toothy leaves-traps makes it quite a popular room decoration.

ATTENTION: Feeding a Venus flytrap is a spectacular process, but you cannot overfeed the flower, since after digesting the prey, the leaf dies, and due to the loss of leaves, it may weaken or even die.

. This plant lives in Asia, its home is rainforests. Nepenthes is classified as a bushy vine. They catch the prey using pitcher-shaped appendages on the leaves, which contain viscous juice, where the prey drowns, and subsequently gives its nutritional components to the plant.
The edges of the jugs, smeared with wax and trimmed with bristles or spines, do not allow escape from the tank, and the bright coloring of its inside attracts the attention of potential prey.
There are many varieties of Nepenthes, the smallest of which prey purely on insects, but large representatives of the genus can also absorb small mammals, for example, mice; their jugs are the size of a bottle and hold up to a liter of digestive fluid.
Traps differ not only in size, but also in the shape of the jugs, in some Nepenthes they lie on the ground, in others they hang from the leaves like strange fruits.

It grows in the Far East of Russia and therefore tolerates cold well. The Sundew is small in size and hunts insects mainly during the period of flower pollination, although it does not disdain small insects that simply accidentally fall on the leaves.
Its leaves are collected in a dense rosette and have movable tentacles with sweet nectar.
When the victim sits down to enjoy the juice, she falls into the trap, tightly sticking to the droplets at the ends of these tentacles.
The nutrients contained in the body of the engulfed insect are necessary for the flower to form an ovary and allow the seeds to ripen.
It is worth noting that Sundew is used for medicinal purposes and often grows on windowsills as an exotic pet.

ATTENTION: Like any plant in a temperate climate, Sundew needs a period of dormancy in winter. At this time, the pot with the plant should be sent to a cool and fairly dry place. Otherwise, it will become exhausted and die.

This North American endemic grows in swamps, like most other predators, but, unlike them, also has decorative flowers with a pleasant smell.
Its lower leaves resemble translucent scales, and the trap leaves are elongated into long tubes, up to eighty centimeters in height, dotted with protruding veins.
On top of this pipe is covered by a leaf outgrowth that prevents water from flowing inside during rain - the jugs of Nepenthes are covered with a similar “umbrella”.
The bright color of the traps and the aroma of the secretions of nectar-bearing glands lure insects to certain death, but the larvae of blowflies and ossfexes are accustomed to living inside the leaves of Sarracenia, robbing the plant of some of its prey.
It is important to note that Sarracenia is easy to care for and can grow in open ground where the winters are mild enough for her.

NOTE for domestic carnivorous plants: Darlingtonia Californian, Nepenthes, Sundew and many others.

Not being directly related to each other, many carnivorous plants, completely independently of each other, have developed the same methods of survival in unfavorable conditions, on lands poor in nitrogen compounds, having learned to extract nutrients from other people’s bodies. These extraordinary creatures will decorate any flower collection.

The idea that the representatives of the flora inhabiting our planet serve as food for herbivores, reptiles and insects is firmly rooted in human consciousness. Their share in the human diet is also large. But there are types of carnivorous plants that do not wait to be eaten, but are not averse to feasting on living organisms.

Cause of plant carnivory

Almost everything that grows from the earth feeds on its juices. To do this, they have a root system, often very branched, through which useful substances enter the stem and are then absorbed, turning into wood, fiber, leaves, and sometimes beautiful inflorescences pleasing to the eye. The better the soil, the more opportunities. This applies to all types of flora, from grass to huge redwoods. Unfortunately, climatic diversity does not always contribute to the growth and survival of biological objects. The land is not fertile everywhere. So we have to adapt, not only to people, but also to all our other space satellites. After all, in essence, we are flying in space, surrounded by a dead vacuum, and our world has become alive because we have air, water, heat and much more that is extremely necessary. Carnivorous plants feed on creatures that are higher on the evolutionary ladder than them, not because of innate cruelty, they are forced to obtain substances necessary for their life because there is nowhere else to get them.

Insidious beauty

The food for predatory flowers is mainly insects. They rarely sit down for anything, except to rest a little. Beetle bugs are also constantly looking for something to profit from, such is the fate of all living creatures on the planet. Of course, carnivorous plants could simply wait for a lucky break, but then it is unlikely that most of them would survive. Therefore, they take the initiative on the same principle as people who claim that luck is in their hands. In the absence of limbs, the predator plant uses the organs at its disposal, namely leaves and flowers. You can attract capricious insects with the aroma, color and beauty that captivates bees and butterflies with harmless daisies, poppies or daffodils, the only difference being that they should be even more seductive, at least from the point of view of insects.

Mechanism of plant digestion

And so the trusting insect lands on the predator plant in the hope of feasting on nectar. The structure of the leaves contains traps, divided according to their functional load into baits and grips. Organs capable of attracting insects various shapes(for example, in the form of cilia, like sarracenia, or jugs of water with which Nepenthes lures its victims). The main thing is for the insect to fly closer, make sure that it is being offered an unprecedented treat, and make a fatal landing for itself. After this, the predator plant uses its hairs, which firmly hold the victim for the time required for the leaves or petals to close, blocking the escape route. There is no longer any hope of salvation. By secreting special enzymes, the insect is killed, its vital juices containing useful substances (nitrogen, phosphorus, alkali metal salts, etc.) pass into the tissues of the killer flower. All that remains is what cannot be digested - chitinous shells.

Sarracenia - the evil queen

She comes from the New World. Lives mainly in the southern part of North America, although it is also found in Canada, but less frequently. This predatory plant uses special leaves for hunting, also called trap leaves, similar to a funnel with a hooded cape. This cover protects the hole, from which an odor tempting to insects is emitted, from rain and excessive diffusion of a secretion liquid with an aroma reminiscent of nectar. Sarracenia bait also contains a substance that has a relaxing effect on victims, similar to a narcotic effect. The surface of the leaf is smooth and slippery. Under the spell of the sweet smell, bugs or flies themselves strive to fall into this terrible funnel, from which there is no way out. Once dropped inside, the victims are digested and dissolved by protease and other caustic enzymes.

Who can Nepenthes eat?

If in terms of beauty sarracenia may take first place among insectivorous flowers, then in terms of size priority rightfully belongs to Nepenthes, an inhabitant of the South Pacific region. He lives in Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, China, India, as well as the Philippines, Seychelles, Madagascar, Sumatra and Borneo. The primates there use this plant as a source of water in the heat, so its other name is “monkey cup”. Nepenthes leaves resemble a water lily, they are connected to long stems, like vines. The bait is plentiful and may be more or less sticky. The unfortunate insects fall into this liquid, drown in it, and then dissolve. Most of the Nepenthes species are of very moderate size, but there are also real giants among them. These are not only insectivorous plants. Photos of Nepenthes Rajah or Nepenthes Rafflesiana, eagerly eating birds, mice and even rats, make an indelible impression. Fortunately, they pose no danger to larger mammals or humans.

Genlisea and her claw

Carnivorous plants also live in Africa. The “Dark Continent” is home to over two dozen species of the rather beautiful yellow Genlisea flower. It is also common in South America. Genlisey his asymmetrical shape resembles a crab claw, which is easy to get into, but almost impossible to escape. The thing is that the hairs growing on it inner surface, are arranged in a spiral, and their direction prevents reverse movement. At the same time, the hunt for all living things is carried out not only over earth's surface(this is the work of photosynthesizing outer leaves), but also in the soil, where microorganisms are sucked in along with soil water through hollow tubes, also spiral-shaped. Digestion of food occurs directly in the channels of its intake.

California Darlingtonia color hallucinations

Carnivorous plants amaze with the variety of methods used to deceive their victims. Thus, Californian Darlingtonia, which hunts near rivers, lakes and springs with cool water, has the shape of a bulb. In the center of this miracle of nature there is a hole with two fang-shaped leaves, quite sharp. Darlingtonia itself lives underwater. Its difference is that it does not use leaves for fishing; insects get inside it through a “crab claw,” an asymmetrical petal. But the main catch lies in the color disorientation of the victim, achieved by many light-shadow transitions, into which the insect plunges once inside. These insectivorous plants simply drive their victims crazy with the help of specks on the light-conducting shell, and they can no longer understand where is up and where is down. In addition, the hairs give them the desired direction.

Suction bubble

A unique bubble trap is characteristic of a plant with the sonorous name Utricularia. It is small, the largest of the bubbles reach a centimeter or a little more. Accordingly, the prey is modest; the bladderwort feeds on tadpoles and water fleas. But the diversity and range are impressive. There are more than two hundred species, and this predator can be found almost everywhere, except perhaps the tundra or Antarctica. The technique used in hunting is also unusual. A small vacuum is generated inside the bubbles, and the flower, like a small vacuum cleaner, sucks in insects passing by along with water. This happens very quickly; the entire process from opening the trap hole to sealing it takes a few microseconds.

Sticky fat woman

Almost a complete analogue of duct tape, which just a couple of decades ago hung from the ceiling of almost every diner in the summer. True, Pinguicula, or butterwort, is much more beautiful than those dark brown spirals of the past. Bright green or pink leaves on outside covered with two types of cells. The pedicel glands, located closer to the stem, produce mucus containing glue that attracts with its smell, and at the same time reliably fixes insects. This is the same Velcro. The second type of cells are the so-called sessile glands. They relate directly digestive system and produce protease, esterase and amylase, that is, enzymes that decompose living organisms into components useful for the plant.

Some species of butterwort hide under a dense rosette for the winter, only to bloom again in the spring and continue merciless hunting, spreading carnivorous sticky leaves.

Rainbow biblis

This predator lives in Australia. It's hard to imagine beautiful slime, but this is how you can define its surface. In appearance, the byblis has some similarities with the sundew, but it is a completely special type of carnivorous plant.

In cross section, the leaf is round, it is equipped with a conical sharp end. The hairs growing on it secrete a viscous substance in beautiful rainbow colors. The flowers are also not devoid of aesthetic appeal and are equipped with five stamens curved shape. The hunting mechanism is not particularly original. The insect sticks, as a rule, it is small. This is the end for him.

Aldrovanda - floating trap

The vesicular aldrovanda lives in water. She is a record holder in two categories. Firstly, this carnivorous creature (it’s hard to call it a flower, more like some kind of algae) grows very quickly, almost a centimeter every day. This does not mean that aldrovanda will soon fill all tropical reservoirs. As quickly as it lengthens, it shortens just as quickly. This plant has no roots; it grows at one end and dies at the other.

Biologists consider its traps to be the second unique feature of Aldrovanda. They are very small, up to three millimeters, but they are enough to catch small aquatic vertebrates, and do it quickly. The trap consists of two halves covered with hairs. The response time is measured in tens of milliseconds, which is a kind of speed record. Such rapid movement of a living organism has no analogues.

Our sundew

But insectivorous plants live not only in exotic countries. Species common in the Far Eastern regions, Siberia and the European part Russian Federation(and there are three of them) can survive in the cold thanks to the ability to form reliably thermally insulated buds. Having survived in the winter, they come to life in the spring and begin hunting for bugs and flies that are greedy for tasty aromas. An example is the predator plant sundew, whose habitat occupies almost the entire temperate climate zone, both in the northern and southern hemisphere. After wintering, not very long shoots emerge from the buds and live for one year. The leaves that grow on them are about a centimeter in size, covered with fine hairs of a reddish hue that secrete drops resembling dew (hence the name). Is it worth explaining that it is this liquid that the sundew uses as bait? During the first warm months, various bugs that accidentally find themselves in the predator's zone of action become the subject of hunting. Next, the hunt becomes more targeted. In July, the flowering season begins, and pollinating insects become victims. The five-petalled flowers are quite beautiful, and look like light clouds above the surface of the swamp.

Despite the killing effect on insects, this plant serves humans and is very useful for treating bronchitis, asthma, atherosclerosis, and even helps alleviate suffering from epileptic attacks.

Predators in the house

The beneficial qualities that plants that feed on the juices of the insects they kill can boast have found recognition among people. Houseplants-predators have long become desirable inhabitants of residential and office premises. Advantages, such as unpretentiousness, unique beauty and the ability to exterminate inappropriate living creatures, motivate the choice in their favor when deciding which flowerpot to place on the windowsill. The eternal scourge of all offices, offices, and sometimes houses or apartments is worrying about who will water the flowers. In the case of predatory representatives of the flora, there is no need to worry too much; they can take care of themselves for quite a long time.

Catches flies and mosquitoes

Along with sticky paper or insecticides, predator plants help people get rid of flies and mosquitoes or at least reduce their numbers. The Venus flytrap is scientifically called Dionaea muscipula. Its homeland is the savannah of North America. Its dimensions allow you to place vases and pots even in cramped spaces. The flower is beautiful, white, with a pleasant aroma. The two valves look friendly and hospitable, only small teeth along their edges can suggest an ominous prospect for a fly that decides to sit even on the edge of this shell. Dionaea receives an inaudible signal from one of the three hairs placed in each trap - the valves close. The main phase of movement of the petals is rapid and takes only one tenth of a second, which gives reason to consider the flycatcher more like a fly swatter. However, if the insect is small, it can still escape by crawling through the existing cracks. In this case, the retention process stops, as does the entire digestive cycle, and after about a day the entire fly-catching system returns to its original combat position. But this doesn't happen often. Sometimes it happens that two or three insects fall into the trap at the same time.

Plant care

So, the choice is made. The owner of the premises is a rather busy person, perhaps he often goes on business trips, and capricious flowers do not suit him. Only cacti or carnivorous plants meet all of its requirements. A photo seen in a magazine, or an example of the successful coexistence of similar flowers with familiar people, confirms the choice in favor of a flycatcher or sundew. The treasured pot was purchased and placed on the windowsill. What to do next?

Nothing at first. You need to let the plant get used to its new location and produce a couple of new leaves. If the house is perfectly clean and there is no one to eat the flower, you will have to feed it from time to time, and insects should be given alive, because it is their natural movement that activates the entire nutritional process. For the same reason, there is no need to feed a carnivorous plant with human food such as pieces of sausage or cheese. Such a diet will cause extremely unpleasant consequences, from a nasty stench to the complete death of the flower.

Insects are different, and not all of them are ready to accept the role of a helpless victim. Some beetles are quite capable of literally gnawing out their right to life, making a hole in the trap with their nodules. You should not experiment with especially thick-shelled insects, as well as with too large ones. Not everything that is bigger is tastier, and the size of the victims should allow them to fit freely in the trap, and it is better if they are half its size. It is not recommended to overfeed carnivorous plants; you should remember the harsh conditions in which they are accustomed to survive. A normal “portion” of a flycatcher is up to three flies (and not per day, but over the entire summer). Sarracenia's appetite is less modest, but it does not exceed a dozen individuals.

In addition, traps have a limited “motor resource”; for example, Venus “shells” are designed for no more than four meals, after which they die. If you load them all at the same time, soon the plant will simply have nothing to eat.

A special warning to fishing enthusiasts who believe that their hobby guarantees the constant availability of suitable food. Bloodworms, earthworms or hairy worms and other bait are good for fish, but the digestion of plants is not designed for all this abundance.

Any excessive nutrition is harmful to predatory flowers as well as to people, it leads to decay. In winter there is no need to feed them at all. That's it, a complete diet.

Carnivorous plants have many times become prototypes for fantastic monsters living in distant worlds. People like everything mysterious; they find a special charm in the predatory beauty characteristic of these wild and domestic flowers. And in addition to such a useful quality as the ability to exterminate annoying insects, flycatchers or sundews have another important advantage. They are simply beautiful.

Incredible facts

Among all the strange plants in the world, there are even some that absorb flesh.

Well, maybe not exactly flesh, but insects, but, nevertheless, they are considered carnivorous. All carnivorous plants are found in places where the soil is poor in nutrients.

These amazing plants are carnivorous, since they catch insects and arthropods, secrete digestive juices, dissolve the prey and in the process receive some or most of the nutrients.

Here are the most famous carnivorous plants that use different types traps in order to lure your prey.

1. Sarracenia

Sarracenia or North American carnivorous plant is a genus of carnivorous plants that are found in areas of the east coast of North America, Texas, the Great Lakes, southeastern Canada, but most are found only in the southeastern states.

This plant uses trapping leaves in the shape of a water lily as a trap. The plant's leaves have become a funnel with a hood-like structure that grows over the hole, preventing rainwater from entering, which could dilute the digestive juices. Insects are attracted to the color, smell and nectar-like secretions at the edge of the water lily. The slippery surface and narcotic substance lining the nectar cause insects to fall inside, where they die and are digested by protease and other enzymes.

2. Nepenthes

Nepenthes, a tropical carnivorous plant, is another type of carnivorous trap plant that uses trapping leaves in the shape of a pitcher. There are about 130 species of these plants, which are widespread in China, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Madagascar, Seychelles, in Australia, India, Borneo and Sumatra. This plant also received the nickname " monkey cup", as researchers have often observed monkeys drinking rainwater from them.

Most Nepenthes species are tall vines, about 10-15 meters, with a shallow root system. The stem often reveals leaves with a tendril that protrudes from the tip of the leaf and is often used for climbing. At the end of the tendril, the water lily forms a small vessel, which then expands and forms a cup.

The trap contains a liquid secreted by the plant, which may be watery or sticky, in which the insects that the plant eats drown. The bottom of the cup contains glands that absorb and distribute nutrients. Most plants are small and they only catch insects, but large species, such as Nepenthes Rafflesiana And Nepenthes Rajah, can catch small mammals such as rats.

3. Carnivorous plant Genlisea

Composed of 21 species, Genlisea typically grows in moist terrestrial and semi-aquatic environments and is distributed in Africa and Central and South America.

Genlisea is a small herb with yellow flowers, which use a crab claw type trap. These traps are easy to get into, but impossible to get out of because of the small hairs that grow towards the entrance or, in this case, forward in a spiral.

These plants have two various types leaves: photosynthetic leaves above the ground and special underground leaves that lure, catch and digest small organisms, such as protozoa. The underground leaves also serve as roots, such as water absorption and anchorage, since the plant itself does not have any. These underground leaves form hollow tubes underground that look like a spiral. Small microbes are drawn into these tubes by the flow of water, but cannot escape from them. By the time they reach the exit, they will already be digested.

4. Californian Darlingtonia (Darlingtonia Californica)

Darlingtonia californica is the only member of the Darlingtonia genus that grows in northern California and Oregon. It grows in swamps and springs with cold running water and considered a rare plant.

Darlingtonia leaves have a bulbous shape and form a cavity with a hole located under the swollen, like balloon, structure and two sharp leaves that hang down like fangs.

Unlike many carnivorous plants, it does not use trap leaves to trap them, but instead uses a crab claw type trap. Once the insect is inside, they are confused by the specks of light that pass through the plant. They land in thousands of thick, fine hairs that grow inward. Insects can follow the hairs deep into the digestive organs, but cannot return back.

5. Pemphigus (Utricularia)

Bladderwort is a genus of carnivorous plants consisting of 220 species. They are found in fresh water or moist soil as terrestrial or aquatic species on all continents except Antarctica.

These are the only carnivorous plants that use bubble trap. Most species have very small traps in which they can catch very small prey such as protozoans. Traps range from 0.2 mm to 1.2 cm, and larger traps catch larger prey such as water fleas or tadpoles.

Bubbles are under negative pressure relative to their surroundings. The trap's opening opens, sucks in the insect and surrounding water, closes the valve, and all this happens in thousandths of seconds.

6. Butterwort (Pinguicula)

Butterweed belongs to a group of carnivorous plants that use sticky, glandular leaves to lure and digest insects. Nutrients from insects supplement mineral-poor soil. There are approximately 80 species of these plants in North and South America, Europe and Asia.

The leaves of butterwort are succulent and usually have a bright green or pink color. There are two special types of cells found on the upper side of leaves. One is known as the pedicel gland and consists of secretory cells located at the top of a single stem cell. These cells produce a mucous secretion that forms visible droplets on the surface of the leaves and acts like Velcro. Other cells are called sessile glands, and they are found on the surface of the leaf, producing enzymes such as amylase, protease and esterase, which aid in the digestive process. While many butterwort species are carnivorous all year, many types form a dense winter rosette that is not carnivorous. When summer comes, it blooms and produces new carnivorous leaves.

7. Sundew (Drosera)

Sundews constitute one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. They are found on all continents except Antarctica. Sundews can form basal or vertical rosettes from 1cm to 1m in height and can live up to 50 years.

Sundews are characterized by moving glandular tentacles, topped with sweet sticky secretions. When an insect lands on the sticky tentacles, the plant begins to move the remaining tentacles in the direction of the victim in order to further trap it. Once the insect is trapped, small sessile glands absorb it and the nutrients are used for plant growth.

8. Byblis

Byblis or rainbow plant is a small species of carnivorous plant native to Australia. The rainbow plant got its name from attractive appearance mucus that covers leaves in the sun. Although these plants are similar to sundews, they are in no way related to the latter and are distinguished by zygomorphic flowers with five curved stamens.

Its leaves have a round cross-section, and most often they are elongated and conical at the end. The surface of the leaves is completely covered with glandular hairs, which secrete a sticky mucous substance that serves as a trap for small insects landing on the leaves or tentacles of a plant.

9. Aldrovanda vesiculosa

Aldrovanda vesica is a magnificent rootless, carnivorous aquatic plant. It is usually feeds on small aquatic vertebrates using a trap.

The plant consists mainly of free-floating stems that reach 6-11 cm in length. Trap leaves, 2-3 mm in size, grow in 5-9 curls in the center of the stem. The traps are attached to the petioles, which contain air that allows the plant to float. It is a fast growing plant and can reach 4-9mm per day and in some cases produce a new whorl every day. While the plant grows at one end, the other end gradually dies.

The plant trap consists of two lobes that slam shut like a trap. The trap's openings point outward and are covered with fine hairs that allow the trap to close around any prey that comes close enough. The trap slams shut in tens of milliseconds, which is one example fastest movement in the animal kingdom.

10. Venus flytrap (Dionaea Muscipula)

The Venus flytrap is perhaps the most famous carnivorous plant that feeds mainly on insects and arachnids. This small plant, having 4-7 leaves that grow from a short underground stem.

Its leaf blade is divided into two areas: flat, long, heart-shaped petioles capable of photosynthesis and a pair of terminal lobes hanging from the main vein of the leaf, which form a trap. The inner surface of these lobes contains red pigment, and the edges secrete mucus.

The leaf lobes make a sudden movement, slamming shut when its sensory hairs are stimulated. The plant is so developed that it can distinguish a living stimulus from a nonliving one. Its leaves slam shut in 0.1 second. They are lined with thorn-like cilia that hold prey. Once the prey is caught, the inner surface of the leaves is gradually stimulated, and the edges of the lobes grow and merge, closing the trap and creating a closed stomach, where the prey is digested.

Predatory plants

Carnivorous plants have become the true embodiment of mystery and the unknown wildlife. They captivate us with their ingenuity, excellent adaptability to a hostile environment and simply their beauty. If we adhere to the truth, then we should, of course, call them insectivores and not predators. But the myth about killer plants still continues to exist. If in ancient times some of the plants began to “eat”, or rather “digest” insects, it was solely in order to survive in a hostile environment, where the soil was so poor or so acidic that the roots could not receive nutrients in the usual way. Finding no other way to satisfy their need for mineral salts and trace elements, these plants evolved to the point that they were able to obtain them from organic matter. That is why carnivorous plants began to catch living creatures that provide them with the necessary nutrition. There are up to five hundred species of carnivorous plants in the region. And what is most surprising is that many insectivorous plants are so small, look so graceful and delicate, that they do not at all seem like insidious predators, deceiving and then devouring their prey.

What makes these plants “go hunting”? The fact is that “predators” grow, as a rule, in swamps, in swampy and damp places - where most plants simply cannot survive due to lack of nutrients. And carnivorous plants thrive in such spartan conditions, supplementing their diet with animal food. Of course, plants hunt very differently from animals, and their prey is not the largest - insects. All hunter plants are flowering plants. But it is not the flowers (although sometimes very beautiful) that attract insects. The main bait for the victim is the leaves, which emit a sweet smell of a special liquid secreted by plants. This is exactly how the round-leaved sundew, well known to residents of the northern latitudes of Russia, catches its victims.

Sundew rotundifolia

Each leaf contains up to two hundred hairs. A drop of liquid glistens at the tip of each hair. She looks like a drop of dew. Hence the name of the plant - round-leaved sundew. This is a real predator plant. Shiny sticky drops that attract insects contain a whole range of substances that take part in the digestion of victims. The drops also contain the substance coniine, which immobilizes caught insects. In response to the movements of the adhered insect, the neighboring hairs are drawn towards the victim, and the sundew leaf itself begins to gradually close. Digestion of a medium-sized prey occurs within 2-3 days. On the leaf that opens after some time, almost nothing remains of the victim except an empty skin. Unlike the Venus flytrap, sundews have an extremely wide distribution - they are found on all continents except Antarctica. The plant's generic name, drosera, alludes to the droplets of sticky mucous liquid that appear on the upper side and along the edges of its leaves (translated from Greek drosos - “dew”). Americans call sundew “grass of precious stones” for the droplets of liquid sparkling in the sun. Sundews live a long time - the age of an individual plant can be tens of years. The dwarf sundew, Drosera pygmy, growing in Australia, is considered the smallest; the length of its leaves does not reach 1 cm. The largest size of leaves - up to 60 cm in length - is the royal sundew, Drosera regia. The hunting record for sundews is 51 mosquitoes caught on one plant in 3 hours! It is no coincidence that in Portugal, local residents use sundews instead of sticky fly paper, hanging plants in pots on the walls of their houses. Even strong horseflies stick to the leaves of their favorite sundew!

Venus flytrap

Flycatchers grow throughout the United States. They are found in the eastern coastal sandbars and peat bogs of North and South Carolina. The genus includes a single species. Among other insectivorous plants, the Venus flytrap reacts most quickly to its prey. Large white flowers are collected in terminal few-flowered inflorescences at the top of the peduncle. The fruit is an irregularly cracked capsule filled with two dozen shiny black seeds and surrounded by withered petals. Well-developed specimens of the Venus flytrap can tolerate both drought and temporary flooding without harm. The leaves of this plant, slightly raised above the ground, are collected in a rosette around a long peduncle. The leaf petiole is flat and wide, and the leaf blade has turned into two rounded flaps lying at an angle to each other. Its leaves, equipped with long teeth, look like open traps. The number of teeth along the edge of the trap leaf can exceed 30. Each leaf consists of two halves, reminiscent of shell valves. Insects are attracted to the bright color of the inner surface of the leaf and the sweetish liquid that accumulates on it. There are three sensitive hairs on each half of the leaf. As soon as a fly or other prey touches two of them, weak electrical signals arise in the tissues of the leaf, and in a split second both its halves close. When closed, the teeth of the leaf intersect.

The flytrap trap is triggered in a fraction of seconds. Attempts by the insect to free itself from this “living trap” lead to an even tighter closure of the valves. Mechanical irritation of the hairs can lead to the slamming of the leaf, but in this case the release of digestive substances does not begin. After a successful hunt, digestion of the prey, depending on its size, lasts 1-3 weeks. Sometimes larger delicacies, such as small frogs or slugs, also fall into such a trap. When this happens, the Venus flytrap begins its “feast”. Each leaf can slam shut and expand only 2-3 times, after which it dies. For a long time it was a mystery - how does a flycatcher produce such lightning-fast movement without muscles and nerves? This is one of the fastest movements in the plant kingdom. It turned out that the leaves of the Venus flytrap accumulate elastic energy. They work like convex membranes that switch from one position to another with a sharp click, you just need to lightly press them with your finger. When the leaves open, they are constantly on the verge of precarity. The insect touches the hairs of the plant, and in response it slightly changes the humidity of the leaf (supplies juice into it). The moisture slightly changes the curvature of the surface, serving as a descent, and then the leaf itself jumps into a new stable state - closing the trap. Charles Darwin considered the flytrap “the most amazing plant in the world.”

Zhiryanka-Velcro

In the floodplains of rivers, in sphagnum bogs, in damp meadows and along the shores of shallow lakes they are found unusual plants with thick fleshy basal leaves. If you touch them with your finger, you feel that they are sticky. These are fatty ones. With the help of their sticky leaves, butterworts catch insects. The scientific name of the plant is pinguicula. In Latin, penguis means “bold.” The surface of butterwort leaves has an oily shine due to the sugary mucus secreted by special glands located in the leaf tissues. This mucous coating is so sticky that an insect landing on a leaf is literally glued to its surface. (After the insect comes into contact with the leaf, an additional portion of sticky mucus is released in this place). Then the leaf begins to gradually curl, digestive juices come into play and the captured victim begins to be digested. Soon, all that remains of the captured insect is one empty shell. Butterworts are able to digest even plant pollen that has fallen on its leaves. There are about 80 species of butterwort in the world. A minority of species grow in Eurasia, North America and in southern Greenland. Most are in Asia, Central and South America. There are 12 species of butterwort found in Europe, and 10 species in North America. There are 6 species of butterwort growing on the territory of Russia. Butterworts are also found in the very south South America. Even in the tundra there are butterworts. Growing in the north of Eurasia, the common butterwort is a relict plant of the Ice Age. It means that this type existed when most of Europe was covered with a thick layer of glaciers.

Rosolist

Rosolist (Dr osophyllum lusitanicum L.) is one of the most remarkable insectivorous plants, growing in Portugal and Morocco. The plant differs from other insectivores (Drosera, Pinguicula) both in its appearance and, especially, in its biological characteristics. It does not grow in damp, swampy places, like our sundew, but in dry mountains, on sandy, often even rocky soil. Its stem very often reaches a height of 1/4 arshin and at the top bears single flowers on several, but few short branches, up to 3 cm in diameter. The leaves are located in large numbers at the base of the stem, but are also found higher along the entire stem. They are linearly elongated, gradually tapering towards their upper end. There is a small groove on the upper surface of the leaves. The leaves and stems of the dew leaf are quite densely covered with small glands on clearly visible stalks. These glands with stalks have the shape of small hat fungi and are always covered with their secretion - small shiny droplets of liquid, reminiscent of drops of dew, from which the plant itself received the name dew leaf. In color, the reddish glands of dew leaf are strongly reminiscent of those of the sundew, and in their shape they are close to glands of butterwort (Pinguicula), an insectivorous plant that is often found in our peat bogs. In addition to these stalked glands, clearly visible to the naked eye, on the dew leaf there are even smaller, sessile glands, almost colorless and differing from the stalked ones in that they secrete droplets of colorless sticky and acidic liquid only under the influence of the touch of nitrogenous bodies. The liquid of these sessile glands is very sticky, strongly sticks to objects that touch the glands, but easily detaches from them. When an insect lands on a dew leaf, all its parts are quickly glued together by secretions of sessile glands, but the animal can, nevertheless, move slowly at first, since the sticky liquid of the glands is easily separated from the latter. After a short period of time, the insect becomes completely covered with drops of secretions from other glands, loses the ability to move, dies and falls on the underlying columnar glands, which, with the help of their secretions, extract everything soluble from the corpse and absorb it. Thus, the dew leaf feeds on nitrogenous substances of animal origin. The glands of the dew leaf, having lost droplets of their sticky liquid, secrete it again. These secretions are so abundant that the entire plant is sometimes completely covered with insects, both newly settled and dead and already decomposed. In the vicinity of Oporto, where dew leaf is found quite often, peasants collect this plant and hang it in their living quarters to catch and kill flies.

Aldrovanda

A genus of insectivorous aquatic plants of the sundew family. The genus includes 1 species A. vesiculosa with floating thread-like stems, without roots. Leaves 6-9 in whorls, with long bristles at the top of a wide petiole. When the delicate hairs located on the surface of the leaf are irritated, it folds lengthwise, with the edges one on top of the other. This is how Aldrovanda catches and then digests small aquatic larvae and crustaceans. Aldrovanda is found sporadically in Western Europe, Africa, East and Southeast Asia, Australia. In the USSR - in the European part, in the Caucasus, Far East and Central Asia, most often in oxbow lakes.

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Pemphigus

In the coastal zone of small reservoirs with calm fresh water, you can find a curious plant - bladderwort. It floats in the upper layer of water without attaching to the bottom. If you look closely at the thin dissected leaves of the plant, you will notice numerous rounded lenticular thickenings less than half a centimeter in size. These are the trapping organs of the bladderwort. Near the entrance hole in each such “bubble” there are thin outgrowths - sensitive hairs. When a small aquatic crustacean touches these hairs, the curvature of the walls of the bubble changes dramatically. As a result, the prey, along with a small volume of water, is literally sucked inside. Excess water is gradually “pumped out”, and digestive substances begin to flow into the trap with the caught prey. Soon all that remains of the prey is the skin. Each trapping bubble of a plant can work several times, then gradually dies. The pemphigus genus is quite extensive - there are up to 200 species. 6 of them are found in Europe and Russia. Many types of bladderworts are non-aquatic plants; they are found in the tropics on moist soil, among moss or even on tree trunks. In the Northern Hemisphere, the most common and larger is pemphigus vulgaris. Its branches form something like a floating platform, above which thin flower stalks rise at the height of summer. Plants move from pond to pond with the help of migratory waterfowl, to whose legs their stems easily stick. IN northern latitudes with the onset of autumn, wintering buds form in the bladderwort; in the spring they will give rise to a new generation of plants. You can observe bladderwort in an aquarium or in a volumetric glass jar. The capture of prey can be seen without special magnifying devices. Settled soft fresh water is suitable for maintenance. To feed live prey, you can use small crustaceans - cyclops and daphnia.

Typically, aquarists use such live prey as food for fry. Bladderwort is capable of preying even on small fry!

Cephalotuspouch-shaped

Cephalotus follicularis Cephalotus is endemic to the South-Western Australian floristic province. It is found in a limited area that extends along the sea coast in the extreme southeast of the province. Cephalotus grows in relatively dry places along the edges of peat bogs. This is a small herbaceous plant with an underground rhizome. Every year a rosette of closely spaced basal leaves is formed. The leaves are of two types - the upper (inner) leaves are flat, whole, thick, with glands on the petiole and on the underside of the blade, and the lower (outer) leaves are turned into complexly arranged trapping jugs, located more or less obliquely on the soil surface. Flat leaves develop during the Australian autumn (March - April) and reach full development in the spring (August - September), while pitcher leaves develop in winter and spring and are fully formed and active in summer (November - January) when insects are most abundant . In November - December, a very long leafless peduncle rises from the middle of the rosette, bearing at the top an inflorescence consisting of small lateral dichasias, each of which consists of 3-8 flowers. Flowering occurs in January and early February. The flowers are small, whitish, bisexual, petalless. The calyx is fused-leaved, 6-lobed. There are 12 stamens, in two alternating circles, attached to the top of the calyx tube at the outer edge of the thick disk. A hemispherical cell mass is formed on the outer side of the connective tissue, which gave the French botanist J. de Labillardiere (1806), who first described this plant, the reason to call it cephalothus (Greek kephalotos - capitate). The gynoecium is apocarpous, of 6 carpels located in one circle; the carpels are elongated into a slightly bent column and on the ventral side of the upper part are covered with very small stigmatic papillae. Each carpel usually contains 1 (rarely 2) basal ovules. The fruit is multi-leafed and ripens in February or March. The fruits are covered with hairs bent downwards; the columns remain attached to the fruit, lengthen and curve outward in a hook-like manner. The hairs and uncinate style facilitate zoochoric dispersal. Seeds with a very small embryo surrounded by abundant fleshy endosperm.

In the structure and vital activity of the cephalothus, the greatest interest is caused by the pitcher leaves, the morphology and biology of which is devoted to quite a large literature. Pitcher leaves consist of an ovoid pitcher 0.5 to 3 cm long and a hairy petiole oriented almost perpendicular to its axis. When young, the jug is closed with a lid, which subsequently opens. The pitcher and cap are the result of invagination of the leaf blade. As is known, leaves of the ascidian type (from the Greek askidion - sac) are sometimes found as anomalies in plants with normal flat leaves, which is caused by uneven tissue growth. In Cephalotus, abnormal leaves are quite common, representing different stages of transformation of an ordinary flat leaf into a pitcher leaf, described by the English botanist A. Dixon (1882). They correspond to some extent to the stages of ontogenetic development of the pitcher plant, first carefully studied by the German botanist A.V. Eichler (1881). The structure of the cephalothus pitcher leaf is so remarkable that it needs to be discussed in a little more detail. The epidermis of the outer surface of the pitcher, consisting of thick-walled cells, is equipped with stomata and submerged glands. In addition, three somewhat flattened ridges stretch along the entire length of the jug. All three ridges are covered with long hairs. But the most interesting is the inner surface of the jug, which we will begin to get acquainted with with its obliquely upward directed hole, or throat. The edge of the opening is framed by a rather thick rim, or peristome (from the Greek peri - around, about and stoma - mouth), which is interrupted only at the point where the cap departs. The rim seems to be corrugated, with alternating ridges and grooves, each ridge forming a claw-like tooth directed downward, inside the urn. The teeth are dark red and contrast well with the light green color of the deep grooves. If you now do lengthwise cut jug, then in its upper part we will see a pale green collar from 2 to 8 mm wide, which is a continuation of the peristome and hangs with its lower sharp edge in the form of a cornice. The collar consists mainly of spongy parenchyma, which forms the thickest part of the pitcher wall. It is covered with very peculiar imbricated epidermal cells overlapping each other, the surface of which is characterized by fine radial streaking. Each of these cells is elongated into a pointed process directed downward. Together with the claw-shaped teeth of the peristome, these processes form a “retaining ring” that prevents the insect from getting out, and a “sliding zone” that facilitates its fall into the jug. The inner part of the pitcher, located under the collar, consists of parenchyma cells with wavy walls. These cells often contain dark red pigment. With the exception of a narrow strip lying directly under the cornice of the collar, in the upper half of this part of the cavity of the jug there are numerous small submerged glands, which gradually become larger in the downward direction (i.e. towards that part of the jug that is located closer to the ground). These glands secrete the proteolytic exoenzyme protease, i.e., they have a purely digestive function. On both sides of the lower half of this zone of the pitcher cavity there is one obliquely located dark red bulge or ridge containing numerous large submerged digestive glands. Particularly rich in glands top part roller These pieces of iron play main role in the digestion of trapped insects. The lower part of the roller, covered with epidermis with wavy cell walls, is equipped exclusively with a large number stomata These stomata, however, are of an unusual type. Their guard cells have lost the ability to turgor movements, and the stomatal opening is wide open all the time. In essence, these are no longer real stomata. The famous German botanist K. Goebel (1891), who first described these peculiar structures, called them “water pores,” i.e. hydathodes. It is very likely that the lower part of the pitcher is filled with liquid through these hydathodes, although not all researchers agree with this. The lowest part of the inner surface of the jug is completely devoid of glands.

No less interesting is the structure of the lid of the jug, which is an important part of the fishing apparatus. Once or twice forked radial sections of green tissue run along the upper side of the lid. The epidermis of these areas consists of cells with more or less wavy edges and is equipped with hairs. This tissue is equipped with both submerged glands and stomata that are attractive to insects. On the inside of the cap it is dark red. The spaces between the green areas are devoid of chlorophyll and stomata, but have glands. Unlike the green areas, the epidermal cells here are straight. To insects, these almost translucent areas appear open. In their attempts to get out of the trap, they fly into these areas, push off from them and plunge into the cavity of the jug. The edges of the lid are wavy. Imbricated overlapping each other, the epidermal cells of the inner side of the operculum are each elongated into a process that is directed downward to the base of the operculum. These cells are like epidermal collar cells, with a fine streak converging towards the end of the process. Between the epidermal cells there are attractive glands, similar to the glands on the outside of the operculum. The pitcher-shaped leaves of Cephalotus are an extremely ingenious trap for insects. Three flat ridges running along the pitcher probably make it easier for crawling insects to access the throat of the pitcher. The variegated color of the jug and the abundance of glands imitate a flower and thus serve as bait for flying insects. Seduced by the secretions of these glands, the insect moves towards the throat of the jug and approaches its cavity, where, as A.J. points out. Hamilton (1904), who studied the biology of Cephalothus in nature, the insect licks the surface of the collar for a long time before moving further down. Once on inner side the very smooth and slippery mouth of the urn, it easily slides down and almost inevitably becomes a victim of the cephalothus. The main victims of cephalothus are ants. Insects are digested both by enzymes secreted by the surface of the pitcher and, probably, by bacteria. Chitinous remains of insects are found in the urn, which suggests that the glands of the cephalothus do not secrete chitinases.

Darlingtonia

The only species included in the genus is called Californian Darlingtonia - D. californica, grows in California swamps.

(Darlingtonia californica), a perennial herbaceous insectivorous plant of the Sarracenia family with a rhizome and a rosette of trap leaves. The flowers are solitary, 5-membered, the petals are yellowish with reddish veins, with 15 stamens and a 5-lobed ovary. The fruit is a capsule. The leaves are pitcher-shaped, up to 1 m long, at the edge of the leaf there is a dark red forked leaf-like appendage. On the inner surface of the leaf there are glands that secrete nectar that attracts insects. The walls of trap leaves are covered with hairs that allow insects to move only inward: insects die in the liquid secreted by the leaf and decompose under the influence of bacteria. Darlingtonia is found in marshy soils from northern California to southern Oregon.

Darlingtonia leaves transformed into traps resemble a cobra with a swollen neck preparing to attack. Attracted by the emitted odor, insects end up in storage traps from which they can no longer escape. They dissolve in digestive juices, and the plant receives the necessary nutritional substances. But this is like an additional dish, the main ones come through root system. Very beautiful yellowish or red-brown flowers on long stems appear in June. Adapt Darlingtonia to room conditions very difficult. It takes root best in special greenhouse boxes protected from low temperatures moss or leaves. Staying in the dark during the rest period does not harm them. The best substrate for them turned out to be ordinary peat.

Heliamphora

Heliamphoras are found in Venezuela, Brazil and Guiana, where they grow on inaccessible sandy plateaus at altitudes of 1000-3000 m above sea level. Heliamphoras are evolutionary relatives of Sarracenia, but in indoor culture are less common than the latter. The Latin name of the plants can be translated as “swamp pitcher” (Greek helos - “swamp”). Interestingly, this is also one of the local names of the plant. The leaves of heliamphora really resemble in shape water vessels with wide open necks. The edges of the sheet are brought together and seem to be connected by a clearly visible seam. The tip of the leaf is turned into a kind of “cap”. Its dimensions are small; it closes the entrance to the trap rather symbolically. The cap is brightly colored. Often it plays the role of visual bait for future victims. Accumulates inside the jug rainwater. Its inner walls are covered with smooth, downward-pointing projections. The insects that land on them slide down, drown in the liquid of the jug and gradually decompose in it. The genus is considered poorly studied; it includes about eight species, but their number is likely to increase in the future as a result of additional research.

Nepenthes - treacherous cups

One of the most amazing inventions of plants is leaves. By changing, they can become both delicate petals and sharp dry spines. Some leaves of climbing plants develop into long, curling tendrils. The flexible stem clings to all kinds of supports. With the help of tendril leaves, the stems of peas, pumpkins, cucumbers and grapes climb up. The leaves of the Nepenthes trap can be considered the pinnacle of design art. These amazing plants are found in warm and humid jungles in Ceylon, Madagascar, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, New Zealand and northern Australia. The ends of the leaves of Nepenthes have turned into peculiar jugs. They are quite large, each containing up to one liter of sour moisture, so Nepenthes try to secure such a jug with the help of tendrils on the strong stems of neighboring plants. The neck of the jug is surrounded by large spikes that protect its contents from uninvited guests. The entrance to the jug is closed with a lid. Later, a gap appears between it and the body of the jug, which gradually increases. The lid protects the jug from overflowing with rainwater and at the same time serves as a “landing platform” for the main prey of Nepenthes - flying insects. Along the outer side of the jug from top to bottom there are two toothed outgrowths, which serve both to support the jug and to guide crawling insects. Attracted by the scent of nectar, they eventually end up inside the pitcher and usually fall into the liquid inside. The inner walls of the trap are so smooth that even insects that are good at crawling on vertical glass cannot climb them. Occasionally, hummingbirds, small rodents and amphibians become prey for large Nepenthes. The liquid of the pitchers contains digestive acids, in which the prey is gradually digested over several hours. Among predator plants, Nepenthes have the largest traps. In Nepenthes Raja, the length of the jugs reaches 40 cm! You can even drink from them like from glasses. The popular name for Nepenthes traps is “monkey cups”. Some monkeys actually quench their thirst with Nepenthes. The new kind giant carnivorous plants were discovered in the highlands of the central Philippines. Externally, the new plant resembles a water lily, and its “pitcher”, with which the plant swallows its victims, is the largest among all carnivorous plants. The plant feeds on small rodents, insects and birds that fall into the “mouth” of the new plant. As researchers later testified, the giant pitcher grows only on the slopes of Mount Victoria; the plant has not yet been found anywhere else. The new species was named Nepenthes attenboroughii in honor of the world-famous British naturalist and TV presenter David Attenborough. Scientists discovered a giant predatory plant at an altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level. A sample of the plant was taken to the University of Palawan, where it was given the name Nepenthes attenboroughii.

Sarracenia

Sarracenia, a genus of plants in the Sarracenia family. Insectivorous perennial herbs with a rhizome up to 25-30 cm long, which grows up to 20-30 years, annually forming rosettes of pitcher-shaped leaves (ascidians) up to 75-100 cm long, 5-8 cm in diameter. Leaves usually have reddish veins (in the sun they often turn completely red); in yellow sarracenia (S. flava) they are yellowish-green with red veins. Flowers are solitary, large (4-10 cm in diameter), 5-membered; petals are reddish-purple or yellow (Sarracenia yellow). The column of the pistil at the apex is umbrella-shaped and covers the stamens. 10 species, in North America (mainly in the Atlantic states of the USA). The most widespread is Sarracenia purpurea (S. purpurea). S. grow mainly in swampy forests and sphagnum bogs. Another name for it is “trapping pit”. Each sarracenia leaf, or rather leaf petiole, resembles a bag or jug, narrowed at the top and bottom and swollen in the middle. At the hole leading inside the “jug bag” there is a leaf blade with blood-red veins. It resembles a bright umbrella and is perceived more like a flower than a leaf. Actually, this bright appendage performs the function of a flower, attracting unlucky midges and spiders to the hunting “jug bag”. In addition, insects are attracted to the interior by a pleasant aroma. Looking into the middle of the “bag”, the victim descends deeper and deeper and, ultimately, falls into the water with which the Sarracenia traps are filled even in dry weather. There is no way back from the trapping pit: its walls are covered with many smooth scales, each of which ends in a sharp spike facing down.

In the long “jug bags” of Sarracenia, a huge amount of all kinds of small arthropods can accumulate, which are gradually digested with the help of a secretion produced by the tissues of the walls of the “bag”.