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Pitcher Plant

Insectivorous

A closeup of a young Pitcher Plant - Sarracenia Purpurea. In the nutrient poor areas where these insectivorous plants grow, they have evolved to be able to absorb nutrients in other ways.

In the water that collects in the bulb, insects fall and drown, ably assisted by a special coating exuded by the plant that coats the rim of the pitcher in a slippery substance. Inside the bowl, curved hairs point downwards, making it virtually impossible for an insect to climb out again.

The plant secretes special enzymes into the water in the bowl, and these break down the insect bodies into a soup that the plant can absorb through its skin.

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