carnivorous plant top 10 fascinating
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Carnivorous Plant Top 10 FascinatingTRANSCRIPT
9/15/2015 Top 10 Fascinating Carnivorous Plants Listverse
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CHRISTINE VREY JUNE 9, 2011
Out of all the strange plants in the world, who would have thought that you even get
flesh eating plants? Well, maybe not so much “flesh” eating, as insect eating, but
carnivorous none the less. All carnivorous plants can be found in areas where the soil
has very little nutrients. These fascinating plants are categorized as carnivorous as they
trap insects and arthropods, produce digestive juices, dissolve the prey and derive some,
or most, of their nutrients from this process. The first book on these plants was written
by Charles Darwin, in 1875, “Insectivorous Plants”. After further discoveries and research,
it is believed that these carnivorous properties evolved on six separate occasions, from
five different orders of flowering plants. These are now presented in over 630 different
species of flowering plant.
There are five basic trapping mechanisms found in all these plants: Pitfall traps, Fly
Paper traps, Snap traps, Bladder traps and Lobster pot traps. I would like to show you a
couple of plants, using each mechanism, so that you can also see the differences
between different genera.
10Sarracenia
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Sarracenia, or the North American Pitcher plant, is a Genus of carnivorous plants
indigenous to the eastern seaboard, Texas, the great lakes and south eastern Canada,
with most species being found only in the southeast states. It is also the first plant with
a pitfall trap that we will look at.
The plant’s leaves have evolved into a funnel, with a hood like structure growing over the
opening to prevent rain water from diluting the digestive juices. Insects are attracted by
colour, smell and a nectar-like secretion on the lip of the pitcher. Slippery footings, aided
in at least one species, by a narcotic drug lacing the nectar, causes insects to fall inside
where they die and are digested by proteases and other enzymes
9Nepenthes
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Nepenthes, tropical pitcher plants or monkey cups, are another genus of carnivorous
plants with pitfall traps. There are about 130 species that are wide spread, and can be
found in China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Madagascar, Seychelles, Australia, India,
Borneo and Sumatra. The nickname “monkey cups” comes from the fact that monkeys
have often been observed drinking rain water from them.
Most species of Nepenthes are tall creepers (10-15m), with a shallow root system. From
the stem you will often see sword like leaves growing, with a tendril (often used for
climbing) protruding from the tip of the leaf. At the end of the tendril, the pitcher forms
first as a small bulb, which then expands and forms the cup. The trap contains fluid,
produced by the plant, which may be watery ors syrupy and is used to drown and digest
the insects. The lower part of the cup contains glands that absorb and distribute
nutrients. Most of these plants are small and tend to trap only insects, but some larger
species, such as Nepenthes Rafflesiana and Nepenthes Rajah, have been documented to
catch small mammals like rats.
8Genlisea
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Genlisea, better known as the corkscrew plant, is made up of 21 species and generally
grows in wet terrestrial to semi aquatic environments, and are spread across Africa,
central and South America.
Genlisea are small herbs with yellow flowers that make use of lobster pot traps (Traps
that are easy to enter but impossible to exit, like by use of small hairs growing towards
the entrance or in this case, the ever forward propelling spiral). These plants have two
distinct types of leaves – photosynthetic leaves above ground, and specialized
underground leaves to attract, trap and digest minute organisms, like protozoans. These
underground leaves also perform the duties of roots, like absorbing water and
anchorage, as the plant does not have any. These underground leaves form hollow tubes
under the ground, these tubes have a forward propelling corkscrew shape, and with the
aid of constant water flow, small microbes can make their way into these tubes, but
cannot find a way out again. When they reach the correct part of the tubes, they will be
digested and absorbed.
7Darlingtonia Californica
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Darlingtonia Californica, also called the California Pitcher plant or the Cobra Lilly, is the
sole member of the darlingtonia genus, and is native to Northern California and Oregon.
They grow in bogs and seeps with cold running water and, due to its rarity in the field, it
is designated as uncommon.
The leaves of the Cobra Lily are bulbous and form a hollow cavity, with a opening
situated underneath a swollen, balloon like structure and two pointed leaves hanging off
the end like fangs. Unlike most pitcher plants, the Cobra Lilly does not make use of a
pitfall trap, but rather lobster pot traps. Once inside, insects are confused by the large
light speckles allowed to shine through the plant. When they land, there are thousands
of fine dense hairs that grow inwards, they can follow the hairs deeper towards the
digestive organs, but they cannot turn around or move backwards to escape.
6Utricularia
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Utricularia, or collectively known as bladderworts, is a genus of carnivorous plants
consisting of about 220 species. They occur in fresh water and wet soil as terrestrial or
aquatic species, on every continent accept Antarctica.
They are the only carnivorous plants that make use of bladder traps. Most species have
very small traps, in which they can catch only minute prey, like protozoa. Traps can range
from 0.2mm – 1.2cm, with larger traps, trapping larger prey like water fleas and even
small tadpoles.
The traps have small trigger hairs attached to a trapdoor. The bladder, when set, is under
negative pressure in relationship to its surrounding area. When the trigger hairs are
tripped, the trap door opens up, sucks in the insect and surrounding water, and closes
the door again, all in a matter of 10 thousands of a second.
5Pinguicula
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Pinguicula, or butterworts, are a group of carnivorous plants that use sticky, glandular
leaves to lure, trap and digest insects. The nutrients from the insects supplement the
poor mineral content of the soil. There are roughly 80 species that can be found
throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia.
The leaves of the butterwort are succulent and usually bright green or pinkish in color.
There are two special types of cells found on the top side of the butterwort leaves. One is
known as a penduncular gland, and consists of secretory cells on top of a single stalk
cell. These cells produce a mucilaginous secretion which forms visible droplets across
the leaves surface, and acts like flypaper. The other cells are called sessile glands. They
lie flat on the leaves surface and produce enzymes like amylase, esterase and protease,
which aid in the digesting process.
Where some butterwort species are carnivorous all year round, many types form a tight
winter rosette, which is not carnivorous. When summer comes, it brings with it new
blooms and a new set of carnivorous leaves.
4Drosera
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Drosera, commonly known as sundews, comprises one of the largest genera of
carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These can be found widely spread on every
continent accept for Antarctica. Sundews, (depending on what species) can form either
prostrate or upright rosettes, ranging from 1cm to 1m in height, and can live up to 50
years.
Sundews are characterized by movable glandular tentacles, topped with sweet sticky
secretions. When an insect lands on the sticky tentacles, the plant is able to move more
tentacles in the direction of the insect to trap it further. Once trapped, small sessile
glands will digest the insect and absorb the resulting nutrients, which can then be used
to aid growth.
3Byblis
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Byblis, or rainbow plant, is a small genus of carnivorous plant native to Australia. The
name rainbow plant comes from the attractive appearance of their mucilage covered
leaves in the sun. Even though these plants look similar to the Drosera and
Drosophllum, they are not related in any way and can be distinguished by zygomorphic
flowers with five curved stamens.
The leaves have a round cross section, and they tend to be very elongated and tapered at
the end. The surface of the leaves are completely covered in glandular hairs that release
a sticky mucilaginous substance, which in turn traps small insects on the leaves or
tentacles as a passive flypaper trap.
2Aldrovanda vesiculosa
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Aldrovanda vesiculosa, also known as the waterwheel plant, is a fascinating rootless,
carnivorous, aquatic plant. It generally feeds on small aquatic vertebrates, using a trap
mechanism called a snap trap.
This plant consists mainly of free floating stems, reaching 6 – 11cm in length. The 2-
3mm trap leaves grow in whorls of 5-9, in close succession along the plant’s central
stem. The traps are attached to petioles, which contain air, and assists in floatation. This
is a very fast growing plant and can reach 4-9mm per day, in some instances even
producing a new whorl every day. As the plant grows from one end, the other end will
continuously die off.
The traps basically consists of two lobes which fold together to make the snap traps.
The openings of the trap point outwards, and are covered in a fine coating of trigger
hairs, which will cause the trap to snap shut around any prey that comes too close. The
trap closes in only 10 milliseconds, making it one of the fastest examples of plant
movement in the animal kingdom.
1Dionaea Muscipula
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MORE GREAT LISTS
Dionaea Muscipula, more commonly known as a Venus flytrap, is probably the most
well-known carnivorous plant and it feeds mainly on insects and arachnids.
The Venus flytrap is a small plant that has 4-7 leaves that grow from a short
subterranean stem. The leaf blade is divided into two regions: a flat, long, heart shaped,
photosynthesis capable petiole, and a pair of terminal lobes, hinged at the midrib,
forming the trap which is actually the true leaf. The inner surfaces of these lobes contain
a red pigment and the edges secrete mucilage.
These lobes exhibit rapid plant movement by snapping shut when special sensory hairs
are stimulated. The plant is so advanced that it can tell the difference between live
stimulus and non-living stimulus. The lobes snap shut in about 0.1 seconds. They are
fringed by stiff thorn-like protrusions or cilia, which mesh together and prevent large
prey from escaping. Once prey is unable to escape and the inner surfaces of the lobes
are continuously being stimulated, the edges of the lobes grow or fuse together, sealing
the trap and creating an enclosed “stomach” in which digestion and absorption can take
place.
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124 Comments Listverse Login
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• Reply •
Nattuli • 4 years ago
Number 5 looks to sweet to kill anything! 10
• Reply •
HAGEN • 4 years ago
FEED ME, SEYMOUR!!!!!!!!! 9
• Reply •
tigergirl789 • 2 years ago
AWESOME! Thanks so much! I got 10 out of 10 in my homework assignment all thanksto u!! You totally rock!
7
Apocrief • 4 years ago
You TOTALLY forgot Rafflesia Arnoldii. It's the biggest flower in the world!
Recommend 7
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• Reply • 6
• Reply •
Christine Vrey • 4 years ago> Apocrief
Raflesia Arnoldi was in my prevous list " Top ten Carrion plants" as it is not acarnivorous plant, but a carrion plant... Meaning it smells like rotten flesh toattract insects to help pollinate it... It does not however "eat" insects for nutrition.:)
3
• Reply •
John Juster • 11 days ago> Christine Vrey
Do you know of the Daucus Carota? A fairly common flower in northamerica. Myself in Montreal, I walk my dog along the shores of the stlawrence river and find these big white flowers open up around June andJuly. By the end of August, most of them close up again WITH BUGS INTHEM!!! Yeah! I absolutely saw (and took photos of) bugs, mostly normalhousehold flies, inside the flower. Some had many bugs in them, darkbodies shown through the white pedals covering.
I couldn't believe it. Not sure if they are eaten, or that these flies chose tonest there, but looking online everywhere shows no mention of thisphenomenon. Any idea? Thank you!
• Reply •
Ariza Putri • 3 years ago
i think Rafflesia Arnoldii is the most fascinating carnivorous plant to me. it is the biggestflower on the earth.
3
• Reply •
Tinshreya • 2 years ago> Ariza Putri
Rafflesia Arnoldii is not a carnivourous plant. Check your facts! 2
• Reply •
Qwerty123 • 2 years ago> Tinshreya
Actually, Rafflesia Arnoldii is carnivorous check your sources before youwrite something.
1
• Reply •
Qwerty123 • 2 years ago> Qwerty123
I meant Rafflesia Arnoldii is a carnivorous plant.
• Reply •
Treelore • 7 months ago> Qwerty123
Rafflesia arnoldii is a parasitic carrion plant it isn't carnivorous asit does not digest animals or insects and instead takes itsnutrients from surrounding host plants.
1
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• Reply •
YesIediT • 3 years ago
Wow! Who knew that plants could be so viscious and coniving! Actually... It's kindaAWESOME!
3
• Reply •
Christine Vrey • 4 years ago
To those that liked the list I am glad that I could provide a interisting read for the day,and thank you for the nice comments =) I am completely facinated by our natural world,but I dont think my facination is shared by all the readers of listverse.So for those that did not like my list, suck it and write your own list! =P I did take note ofthe increasing amount of plant list, so I will write about something else for a while... =(
3
• Reply •
Mon • 4 years ago
When you write the scientific name, the second word should not start with a capitalletter.
PS. A rat eating pitcher plant was was discovered here in nthe philipppines about 5years ago.
3
• Reply •
C • 4 years ago
I don't care what the others say, I think today's list was great. Informative andinteresting. No, I'm not a botanist, but I do appreciate science and I think the list writerdid a great job with her selection and explaination.
2
• Reply •
b.o.b • 8 months ago
hiwhats up
1
• Reply •
b.o.b • 8 months ago
;jhkdb;kbsd;ubasdcuiba;kbjakejbcbae 1
• Reply •
the Illuminati • 8 months ago> b.o.b
I disagree. In fact, I think dkal;kdflksjadlkflkas;kdljf. That's just my personalopinion, but I've been studying the concept in depth for months.
• Reply •
b.o.b • 8 months ago
hahahahaha 1
the Illuminati • 8 months ago> b.o.b
Indeed.
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• Reply •
Indeed.
• Reply •
rudraksh pal • a year ago
insect eating plants 1
• Reply •
joe • a year ago
i fuck these plants 1
• Reply •
YouRang? • 4 years ago
I noticed some of the plants are name nepenthe. There's an old poem (by Poe, perhaps)in which the writer wants nepenthe as he's in great pain and wants to forget. And thenepenthe plants do create a narcotic. Could this be the nepenthe the writer wasdesiring? I had always assumed that nepenthe simply meant relief or forgetfulness, but anarcotic makes more sense. Does anyone know anything about this?
I think this article could use a little "punchingup." Does anybody have any references toscifi or horror movies? Which of these inspired Audrey? ("FEED ME!") And I think I'veseen that one plant (much bigger) in Mothra where the scientists are on Mothra's Island.
1
• Reply •
Carmen • 4 years ago> YouRang?
It was Poe's The Raven, "Quaff, oh Quaff (which means drink) this kindnepenthe and forget this lost Lenore" so yes I've always taken it to mean anarcotic.
On a somewhat related note here's a link to a very spooky tale that did therounds a few years back and connects to #1 on this list. Follow it through to theend, (meaning click the links in the story, it all comes together, sort of) it's quiteentertaining.
http://www.dionaeahouse.com/ 1
• Reply •
Carmen • 4 years ago> Carmen
I forgot, don't click the update link in the first page, you'll just getconfused, just go to next and come back to the update later.
fendabenda • 4 years ago
I used to own a Cobra Lilly (although I didn't know what it was exactly, someone gave itto me as a gift) and a Venus flytrap. The Cobra Lilly had a really strong smell... notunpleasant as such, but kind of sickly sweet. As for the Venus flytrap: once it closes its"trap", it cannot reopen it. This means that if there's no prey inside the trap when itcloses, the "trap" (lobe) part of the plant withers and dies and falls off. My ex killed myVenus flytrap by teasing it to close all its traps (she thought it looked funny when it
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• Reply •
Venus flytrap by teasing it to close all its traps (she thought it looked funny when itclosed them) without any nutrition inside of them.
1
• Reply •
Magnumto • 4 years ago
Excellent list, I loved it! Although grammer wasn't as strong as it could have been, it wasvery well written for the layman, very understandable, I thought. One thing I missed,though, was the geographic distribution of the Aldrovanda vesiculosa plant; whereshould I be on the lookout for these guys? Thanks for a really great list, Ms. Vrey!
1
• Reply •
Magnumto • 4 years ago> Magnumto
*grammar", dang it! 1
• Reply •
James Williams Parke • 4 years ago
I use to be a great fan of List verseIts been a while (Like a month maybe) sinceListVerse uploaded an interesting Top 10 List.
Top 10 worst ListVerse's Top 10sFascinating carnivorous plantsPeaceful menWasted OscarsRock Bands that Succumbed to Disco Fever!?!?!?!William Castle Film GimmicksAmazing Carrion PlantsPeople's Lives in Famous Photograph10 More Great British ComedyShameful Moments in Catholic HistoryMisused English Words
I remember the cool Top 10s of mystery,sex,or modern topics that made me love thiswebsite.
You should definitely check your staff and consider hire more creative personal.
Perhaps...maybe is just a strategy to buy instead the ListVerse's book. 1
• Reply •
copperdragon • 4 years ago> James Williams Parke
There is no "creative staff". the lists are submitted by patrons and readers oflistverse.
If you would like more interesting lists, you are welcome to write them and submitthem.
1
Emma • 4 years ago
I loved this list!! As a plant molecular biologist, it's nice to see plants represented!! Plus, I
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• Reply •
I loved this list!! As a plant molecular biologist, it's nice to see plants represented!! Plus, Iwrote my undergraduate thesis on venus flytraps, so I was particularly excited to seethem at #1.
But...no triggerplants?!? (Stylidium)
Also, to anyone who has ever owned a VFT and been disappointed, the VFT will onlyneed to eat about 23 insects/month to get enough carbon to exist, and overstimulationof the trap mechanism can result in energy deficiencies for the plant. This can meanpossible early death...
Most people who raise VFTs keep them in conditions of carbon and nutrient richness, sothey don't really need to "eat" anything.
1
• Reply •
Christine Vrey • 4 years ago> Emma
Just read up about Stylidium... It was very interisting!! I didnt come across itwhen I was researching for the list so thank you for that! And thank you for likingthe list =)
1
• Reply •
GEORGE COOPER • 4 years ago> Emma
Emma'I would like you to give me a reference in the form of books about plants.
• Reply •
Lifeschool • 4 years ago
Fascinating list and excellent pictures too! I thought this was very well written full offacts but not too dry or academic, and I like the way the author almost guides the readerfrom the intro on down. Not much about the smell of these plants perhaps they don'tsmell as bad as the stink plants we say the other week? Amazing to imagine thesundews reaching a metre in size that's some plant! Some of these just look likeorginary 'butterwouldn'tmelt' flora, so I was interested to find out how they do it. Thewaterwheel plant takes the prize for the most alienlooking assassin, and the poor oldvenus flytrap with it's many snapping stomachs is a sure winner.
I had a venus flytrap once but it died because it didn't catch any of the huge flies buzzingaround here in the summer. I had to manually feed it dead flies I found in the window, andI guess it did like those so much. Besides, it was so fun traggering the traps I guess halfof the closed traps were empty because of me!
Top notch job Christine, reminded me of the Little Shop Of Horrors: "Feed Me! Feed MeNOW!"
1
• Reply •
Lifeschool • 4 years ago> Lifeschool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGRN39oifsE
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• Reply •
maddison • 4 months ago
and nerds
• Reply •
maddison • 4 months ago
you people are wierd
• Reply •
maddison • 4 months ago
why is boobs a dangerous plant??????
• Reply •
Solaire of Astora • 7 months ago
Plant 42?
• Reply •
shaheen saib • a year ago
number 7 looks scaryyyyyyyyyy
• Reply •
shaheen saib • a year ago
Those plants look strange, sometimes scary, sometimes beautiful and sometimes likeany simple flower
• Reply •
harley • a year ago
hello
• Reply •
harley • a year ago
just cus i fucked your mum bro
• Reply •
harley • a year ago
fuck you james
• Reply •
harley • a year ago
ill fuck harleys mum
• Reply •
harley • a year ago
fuck yo harley
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