Friday, July 20, 2012

Nepenthes maxima x ventricosa (pitcher plant, monkey cup)

Nepenthes are a family of carnivorous plants comprising roughly 140 species (including the cultivated hybrids). Most of the species use a pitfall trap with slippery inner walls and a fluid reservoir on the bottom containing viscoelastic biopolymers which prevent the captured prey to escape. The lid of the pitcher prevents the liquid to dilute with rain. The lower part of the trap contains glands which absorb nutrients from captured prey. Some other nepenthes species use equipment like flypaper traps to catch the prey. 

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