7 Most Gruesome Carniverous Plants

1. Pitcher Plant

The Pitcher Plant employs the simplest of methods employed by carnivorous plants; a simple vertical drop or pit with slippery sides. The ant is its meal of choice who climbs up the stalk, following the tempting chemical scent sent out by the plant then proceeds into the belly of the sack which is nothing more than a curled leaf with the ends fused together. Inside is a mixture of digestive fluid and water which slowly dissolve the unfortunate victim while he tires himself out trying to escape.
The Pitcher Plant can become water logged if it rains heavily which can damage or drown it and so it has developed an overflow system, just like in your sink or bath, a simple hole that lets excess rainfall drain away.

2. Monkey Cup

The Monkey Cup is the largest carnivorous plant, reaching sizes of 40cm tall and up to 20cm wide, holding more than 3.5 litres of water! They are related to Pitcher Plants and rely on the prey climbing into their urn shaped sacks and have waxy slopes and inward facing thorns or barbs to hinder escape. Some species include a toxic lining to the arsenal, increasing efficiency.

Due to its huge size the Monkey Cup catches all manner of insects, small reptiles and even mammals. Mice, rats, lizards, frogs and even birds have been found inside in various stages of digestion. Due to this fact, some larger forest animals are known to probe inside in search of food, which the Monkey Cup combats in part by outward facing thorns (see picture), though monkeys solve this problem by ripping the sack open. Monkeys have also been known to drink the rainwater from the jugs, hence the title.

3. Corkscrew Plants

The Corkscrew plants are unique in that they consume subterranean prey only. They have long Y-shaped tubes which send out chemical signals underground and then wait for the insect to arrive.

Once inside, the bug crawls along the long corridors, finding it difficult to turn back due to inward pointing hairs lining the passage-ways. The plant encourages it further by squirting water along in the same direction. Eventually the bug is guided towards the central “stomach” and consumed over a long period of time.

4. Butterwort

The Butterwort has large flat leaves which have two intrinsic glands. The first gland generates a sticky glue that works just like flypaper.

The insects, either by random chance or attracted by the appearance of liquid, land and become stuck fast. The Butterwort activates its second gland and immediately begins digesting the prey through pores, comparable to the way a fly vomits on its food to aid digestion.

5. Sundew

Similar to the Butterwort, the Sundew produces a sticky substance that gives the appearance of dew drops. The fly, moth, or other flying insect lands on the straight tentacle appendage and gets stuck fast.

The tentacle immediately begins curling inward over about 30 seconds or so, aiding in holding it tight. Digestion ensues.

6. Venus Flytrap

The most famous of carnivorous plants and one of the most horrific. The Venus flytrap works by having two sections or lobes which are actually one split leaf. They are held apart by tension and when the victim stumbles upon the inside surface, it touches trigger hairs which force the plant to literally grow rapidly at the base of the separation. This rapid growth releases the tension and the two lobes snap shut, trapping the insect inside. This all happens within a second and as the insect struggles to escape it triggers the lobes to grow further, crushing it into a pulp where-after the plant slowly digests the corpse over the course of a week or two.

The Venus flytrap has devised a simple memory system so that water drops are not mistaken for prey. It requires that at least 2 trigger hairs (there are 3 all together) be activated between 0.5 and 30 seconds apart before it will activate. Despite its name the flytrap also feasts on the mortal enemy of the fly: the spider, as well as several other insects.

7. Bladderwort

Considered to be the most sophisticated and complex of the carnivorous plants- the aquatic Bladderwort is so called because of its bladder or broad bean shaped traps which are very small, only reaching up to a centimetre in size, and transparent, allowing sadistic horticulturists to watch the capturing and digestion of prey in action.

While its underwater cells are only big enough to capture fish fry, new tadpoles and mosquito larvae, the method it uses is particularly interesting. The plant pumps water out of each bladder, sucking the sides inward and creating a vacuum. Eventually when no water remains, the mouth, or door is latched shut and the trap is set. Along comes a new tadpole, swimming along its merry way. It’s guided to the entrance by a set of antennae or tendrils and accidentally bumps into the latch or lever. This prizes the door open a small amount, creating a tiny opening. Water rushes in to fill the vacuum and pulls the tadpole in along with it, the entrance pulling closed behind it. Digestion ensues, which can be as quick as 15 minutes, some of the hardier prey lasting up to a week. As this happens the water is slowly pumped out again, creating another vacuum within and the vault is sealed again in wait for the next victim.

You can discuss this article and see what others are saying about it in the Interesting Discussion Forum
Did you find this article useful? Why not buy Sean a coffee?