tropical pitcher plant - ROM2009_10636_13

ROM2009_10636_13

tropical pitcher plant

Geography: old world tropics
Taxonomy
    • Attributes
    • Objects
    • Taxonomy
    • KingdomPlantae
    • PhylumMagnoliophyta
    • ClassMagnoliopsida
    • OrderCaryophyllales
    • FamilyNepenthaceae
    • GenusNepenthes
    • SpecificEpithetx mixta
Object number: Schad_1.2 10-013
On view
Gallery Location:Life in Crisis: Schad Gallery of Biodiversity
DescriptionPitcher plants are carniverous plants that obtain a portion of their required nutrients by capturing and digesting insects. The "pitcher" is a modified leaf that is closed at the bottom and fills up with water. The inner surface is covered with downward pointing hairs that keep an insect visitor from crawling out of the pitcher. Rather they fall into the water at the bottom of the trap and drown. Enzymes are secreted by the plant that digest the nitrogen-rich exoskeleton of the insect. Many pitcher plants live in nutrient-poor environments like bogs.
Collection:
vascular plants
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