Different Groups of Carnivorous Plants
Group A
Swamp Plants
The following are the best example of swamp plants:
Dionaea (Venus Fly Trap) - is best known of all Carnivorous Plants,
because of its dramatic trap mechanism.
Sarracenias (Pitcher Plants) - are the largest of all the
Carnivorous Plants. It has tube-like pitchers that grow to three feet;
they are passive carnivores, and have downward pointing hairs that make
access easy for an insect and departure impossible.
Sundews (Drosera) - usually require filtered light and when the
conditions are right have droplets of water on the tips of the leaves.
These droplets appear on the tentacles and contain a sticky substance
which holds the insect to the plant, and a digestive enzyme which in
time dissolves most bugs away.
Group B
Tropical Plants
Tropical plants such as Nepenthes have long pitchers hanging from the
tips of the leaves. It is these plants that have been responsible for
many of the myths of Carnivorous Plants. Some of the pitchers measure up
to 20cm (8 inches) and have been known to entrap birds and small
monkeys. Because most Nepenthes are grown in the tropics, except for
Nepenthes Khasiana. Nepenthes can be grown inside the house provided
they are kept in terraria.
Group C
High Altitude Plants
The following are the best example of High Altitude Plants:
Sun Pitchers (Heliamphora) look like the new leaves on an aspidistra
and fall into category (C) of growing condiitons. Many people believe
that due to their isolation the Heliamphora provide the link between
"normal" plants and the carnivorous Sarracenia.
The spectacular Cobra Lily (Darlingtonia Californica) is native to
North America and like the Heliamphora grows at high altitudes and likes
a cool root system.
Darlingtonia is often covered with snow in winter, which melts to
provide a cool root system in summer. It is commonly called Cobra Lily,
as it looks like a snake with fangs about to strike. In fact this plant
is another of the pitcher plants, that is, the plant is passive with
downward pointing hairs.
Little known Carnivorous Plants
There is a small group of Carnivorous Plants that are quite rare in
cultivation for various reasons. For example the Drosophyllum
Lusitanicum has only one species existing; the fungas Arthrobotrys
Obligiospora is so small that a microscope is needed to view it; both
the Aldrovanda Vesiculosa and the Genlisea float on water as well as
being extremely difficult to see with the naked eye.
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