| darlingtonia californica aka Cobra Lilly Florence, OR - Here is a quick shot of the carnivorous Darlingtonia plant with wasp inside. Some background from Wikipedia: The cobra lily is restricted to nutrient-poor acidic bogs and seepage slopes within its range. In common with most carnivorous plants, the cobra lily is adapted to supplementing its nitrogen requirements through carnivory in order to compensate for the lack of available nitrogen in such habitats. The cobra lily is unique among the three genera of American pitcher plants in two ways. First, it does not trap rainwater in its pitcher. Instead, it regulates the level of water inside manually by releasing or absorbing water into the trap that has been pumped up from the roots. Second, unlike some other pitcher-plants, its leaves don't produce any digestive enzymes. The cells that absorb nutrients from the inside of the pitcher are the same as those on the roots that absorb soil nutrients. Instead, the California pitcher plant relies on symbiotic bacteria and protozoa to break down the captured insects into easily absorbed nutrients. In addition to the use of lubricating secretions and downward-pointing hairs common to all pitcher plants to force their prey into the trap, this species carefully hides the tiny exit hole from trapped insects by curling it underneath and offering multiple translucent false exits. Upon trying many times to leave via the false exits, the insect will tire and fall down into the trap. The slippery walls and hairs prevent the trapped prey from escaping. The only other species that utilizes this technique is the Parrot Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia psittacina. Tags: darlingtonia californica cobra lilly plant pitcher carnivourous |