This photo is not very aesthetically pleasing, but the subject is a compelling organism. Pitcher plants typically live in nutrient-poor soil, and they have devised a way to catch insects to supplement their diet. Bugs fall into the rolled-leaf tube, are trapped by downward-growing hair-like fibers, and are digested in enzymes pooled at the bottom of the tube. This one was found at the Abita Creek Flatwoods Preserve near Abita Springs, LA.
|
Yellow Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia flava)
|