Insectivorous Plants
1- These plants are specialized in trapping insects and are popularly known as insectivorous plants
2-The insectivorous plants often have several attractions such as brilliant colors, sweet secretions and other curios to lure their innocent victims.
3-Insectivorous plants can broadly be divided into active and passive types based on their method of trapping their prey.
4-These plants are usually associated with rain-washed, nutrient-poor soils, or wet and acidic areas that are ill-drained.
5-Insectivorous plants of India belong mainly to three families-
A- Droseraceae
B-Nepenthaceae
C- Lentibulariaceae
6-Drosera and Aldrovanda belong to family Droseraceae.
7-Aldrovanda is a free-floating, rootless aquatic plant, the only species found in India, occurs in the salt marshes of Sunderbans, south of Calcutta
8-The tentacles on the leaves secrete a sticky fluid that shines in the sun like dew-drops. Therefore the Drosera are commonly known as ‘sundews’.
9- The members of the family are commonly known as ‘pitcher plants’ because their leaves bear jar-like structures.
10-Pitcher plants belong to family nepenthaceae.
11-Nepenthes conforms to the pitfall type of trap. A honey like substance is secreted from glands at the entrance of the pitcher.
Once the insect enters into the pitcher, it falls down because of the slipperiness.
12-Utricularia and Pinguicula belong to family Lentibulariaceae.
13-The Bladderworts generally inhabit freshwater wetlands and waterlogged areas.
14-Pinguicula or Butterwort grows in the alpine heights of Himalayas, from Kashmir to Sikkim, along stream-sides in cool boggy places.
15-In Pinguicula, an entire leaf works as trap. When an insect lands on the leaf surface, it gets stuck in the sticky exudate. the leaf margins roll up thus trapping the victim.