pitcher plant, any carnivorous plant with pitcher-shaped leaves that form a passive web. Old World pitcher plants belong to the family Nepentaceae (order Caryophyllales), while New World plants belong to the family Sarraceniaceae (order Ericales). The Western Australian wedge plant (Cephalotus follcularis) is the only species of the family Cephalotaceae (order Oxalidales). Pitcher plants occur in a wide range of habitats with poor soil conditions, from pine forests to sandy coastal marshes, and rely on carnivores for nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Some pitcher plants also use leaf litter or animal droppings as nutrients.
Sarraceniaceae (Nepenthes gracilis)
pitcher plant Sarraceniaceae
The family Sarraceniaceae consists of three genera of pitcher plants and is distributed in North America and South America west of the Guiana Highlands. Members of this family typically inhabit swamps, marshes, wet or sandy plains, and savannas where the soil is waterlogged, acidic, and nutrient deficient. Traps of carnivores in this family usually resemble horns, jugs, or jars and primarily capture insects.
The Sarcinia genus, sometimes known as the Trumpet Wedge genus, consists of about 10 species native to eastern North America. Insects and other prey are attracted to the pitcher's mouth by a series of nectar-secreting glands that extend into the pitcher below the lip. The jug's throat, located just below the lip, is very smooth and causes the animal to fall into the pool of water below the jug, where it drowns. Then the body digests it with the help of enzymes secreted inside the leaf. Common or purple pitcher plant (S. purpurea) has densely veined, green to reddish, dark leaves with spreading, downward-pointing hairs that prevent escape of prey, including Salandia. Is. Its flowers are purple-red. Parrot pitcher plant (S. psittacina) has small, fleshy, red-veined leaves topped with beak-like caps and deep red flowers. Sweet pitcher plant (S.rubra) produces pale red flowers with a violet scent. Red wedge plant (S. leucophylla) has white, tubular pitchers with upright caps and red flowers. Yellow pitcher plant (S. flap) has bright yellow flowers and long green tubular leaves with a straight cap. One species, the green pitcher plant (S. oreophila), is threatened and occurs in limited areas in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
cobra plant (Nepenthes gracilis)
cobra plant (Nepenthes gracilis)
The cobra plant (Darlingtonia californica) is the only species of its genus and is native to the swamps of the highlands of northern California and southern Oregon. Its rough, pitcher-like leaves resemble those of a cobra and have a reddish-purple color that resembles a snake's forked tongue or set of teeth. Unlike other pitcher plants, the cobra plant does not produce digestive enzymes and instead relies on bacteria to break down its prey.
genus Heliamphora
genus Heliamphora
The genus Heliamphora, known as the sun pitcher or swamp pitcher plant, consists of about 23 species native to the montane rainforests of western Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela. The species forms cushions on ridge tops and marshy hollows, and its stout stems can reach 50 cm (20 in) in height.
Nepenthaceae
Nepenthaceae
The family Nepenthaceae consists of a single genus, Nepenthes, with about 140 species of tropical pitcher plants native to Madagascar, Southeast Asia, and Australia. Most of these species are perennials that grow in highly acidic soils, although some are epiphytic and live on tree branches. The pitcher's cap secretes nectar to attract prey that cannot escape the trap due to the downward facing hairs and sticky sides.
The genus includes the endangered Attenborough's pitcher plant (N. attenboroughii), one of the largest carnivorous plants, reaching up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in length and 30 cm (11.8 in) in diameter. Attenborough's pitcher was found near the summit of Mount Victoria on the island of Palawan in the Philippines, and is capable of catching and digesting rodents as well as insects and other small animals. Cultivated Old World Nepenthes include slender pitcher plant (N. gracilis), common marsh wedge plant (N. mirabilis), and golden feather wedge plant (N. veitchii), as well as several hybrids. Species such as pitcher plants N. ×hookeriana and N. mastersiana and N. Domini
Many species of Nepenthes have adapted to use livestock waste as a source of nutrients, especially in areas where insects are scarce. In Borneo, N. Raja attracts the mountain broom (Topia montana) with a large amount of nectar in the cap of the jug. As the animals feed, the open mouth of the strong, non-slippery pitcher acts as a toilet, collecting nutrient-rich manure. At least two other species, N. lowii and N. macrophylla, are attracted to tree seeds for this purpose. It is believed that the former lost the ability to digest insect prey. Another species, N. hemsleyana, has a long burrow in which Hardwick's bat (Kerivoula hardwicki) hides and collects guano.
Cephalotaceae
Cephalotaceae
The family Cephalotaceae contains only one genus with one species, the Western Australian pitcher plant (Cephalotus follcularis). This plant is a small perennial herb native to moist sandy or swampy areas of southwestern Australia. Unlike other pitcher plants, it has "traditional" leaves, and their membranes are missing. Its small green jugs are protected by a red and white stripe that prevents rain from filling the net and attracting prey. Due to its restricted range and threat of habitat loss, the species is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red Book.
Western Australian pitcher plant
The Western Australian wedge-shaped plant (Cephalotus follicularis), a carnivorous plant native to the wet sandy or swampy areas of southwestern Australia, is the only species of flowering plant in the family Cephalotaceae (order Oxalidales). Like most carnivorous plants, the plant of Western Australia is photosynthetic and relies on carnivores for nitrogen and other nutrients in temperate soil conditions. Listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, the plant is popular with collectors and is mainly cultivated from seeds or cuttings rather than from wild species.
Reaching a height of about 20 cm (8 in), the Western Australian plant is a small perennial herb with numerous underground rhizomes. Unlike other pitcher plants, it has "traditional" leaves, except those modified to trap insects and other small prey. The carnivorous leaves form small green pitchers and are protected by a hairy covering with red and white stripes that prevents rain from filling the net. The color of the cover also attracts prey and has translucent fabric patches that confuse and kill insects that fly into the trap. The flowers of the pitcher plant are decorated with many smooth deep red flowers that emit an attractive nectar and prevent the escape of climbing insects, mainly ants. Inside the pitcher plant are two types of glands that produce fluids and digestive enzymes to break down prey and absorb nutrients. The plant bears small bisexual flowers on tall stems to keep potential pollinators away from its web.
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