Botany Collection - Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia purpurea

Insects Beware

A bug’s world is full of pitfalls – killer frosts, spider webs, swishing tails …. but the danger that a pitcher plant poses to an insect is quite literally a pitfall. Attracted by the plant’s purple markings, insects and other tiny invertebrates are trapped by falling into the pitcher-shaped, water-filled leaves. The inner surfaces of the pitchers are lined with stiff hairs, all pointing downwards, which makes escape difficult. The insects eventually drown and their nutrients are absorbed by the plant with the aid of enzymes. The pitcher plant you see here was painted by Azor Vieanneau in 1985.