W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory Carnivorous Plants Plants that - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory

Plants that survive in low nutrient areas by trapping and consuming animals, especially insects.

Carnivorous Plants

5 Types of Traps

Three of the five types of traps are represented in the Conservatory collection (shown in Bold)

Carnivorous Plants Flypaper traps Lobster-pot traps Snap traps Pitfall traps Bladder traps

Pitcher Plant Asian Pitcher Plant White Trumpet California Pitcher Plant Butterwort Tropical Pitcher Plant Venus Fly Trap

Pitfall Traps

• Pitfall traps

(pitcher plants), trap prey in a rolled leaf that contains a pool

• f digestive

enzymes and/or bacteria.

Asian Pitcher Plant

• Largest pitchers in the

world – up to 18 inches long

• Digestive enzymes in the

pitcher decompose trapped insects, and even animals as large as a mouse

Philippines

Cobra Lily/California Pitcher Plant

• Nectar glands attract

insects

• Insects ingest the

nectar, fall into the liquid in the pitcher, and are decomposed by bacteria

California Oregon

Pitcher Plant/Nepenthes Maxima

• Insects drink the

nectar produced at the pitcher’s rim, become intoxicated and fall into the pitcher where they are digested

Southeast Asia

Schnells’ Ghost/White Trumpet

• Produces pitchers

twice a year, once in spring and once in early fall

• Schnell’s Ghost looks

like grass when no pitchers are produced

Southeastern, US

Tropical Pitcher Plant

• Hairs inside the

plant hold the insect captive until the enzymes are able to digest the prey

Philippines

Fly Paper Traps

Plants with flypaper traps use a sticky, thick gluey substance to trap insects.

Butterwort Sundew

Fly Paper Trap

A sundew plant that has trapped and is beginning to digest a fly.

Butterwort

• Small insects get

stuck to the sticky leaves and enzymes dissolve them

Central Mexico

Snap Traps

These plants trap their prey using a ‘mouse trap;’ as an insect lands it touches the trigger hairs and the trap snaps shut.

Trigger hairs

Venus Fly Trap

• Lures prey with sweet

nectar

• Leaves can snap shut

in less than one-tenth

• f a second

Coastal North and South Carolina

Created by the Conservatory Education Committee, 2007

Members Adriene L. Brown, TCC and Multicare Megan Fish, University of Puget Sound Sue Habeck, Tacoma Community College Kathy Heimann, Blix Elementary Amy Ryken, University of Puget Sound Kathie Stork, Geiger Elementary Lila Transue, Bellarmine Preparatory

Materials donated by: School of Education, University of Puget Sound