Nest of Pitchers
Burk's Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia rosea SYN: Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa var. burkii). Apalachicola National Forest, Liberty County, Florida.
There were many species we were hoping to see during our visit to the Florida Panhandle, and carnivorous plants were at the top of that list. In fact, the diversity of these leaf carnivores in this part of the U.S. is among the highest in the world. We spent a few days exploring expansive wet savannas, hillside seeps, springfed streams, and wet roadside ditches. Here we found a variety of species, including one I was really hoping to see: Burk's Pitcher Plant.
Though present in good numbers, Burk's Pitcher Plant is one of the less common pitchers of the panhandle. Unlike most other pitcher plants which have hoods covering the pitcher openings, members of the Sarracenia purpurea complex (to which this species or subspecies, depending on your taxonomical views, belongs) have pitchers that open to the sky, allowing rainwater to accumulate inside the hollow pitchers. This likely aids in prey acquisition as small insects that may fall into the water drown and are digested by enzymes secreted by the plant.
We found this species difficult to find, even when abundant in certain areas. The pitchers grow low against the ground and are typically at least partially covered by dense grass and the flowers, while bright, are generally short, especially this early in the season. Luckily we were able to find a few in bloom, and this scene caught my attention, with the plant nestled perfectly in the grass, with the flowers appearing to be parent birds preparing to feed the hungry pitchers below.
Nest of Pitchers
Burk's Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia rosea SYN: Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa var. burkii). Apalachicola National Forest, Liberty County, Florida.
There were many species we were hoping to see during our visit to the Florida Panhandle, and carnivorous plants were at the top of that list. In fact, the diversity of these leaf carnivores in this part of the U.S. is among the highest in the world. We spent a few days exploring expansive wet savannas, hillside seeps, springfed streams, and wet roadside ditches. Here we found a variety of species, including one I was really hoping to see: Burk's Pitcher Plant.
Though present in good numbers, Burk's Pitcher Plant is one of the less common pitchers of the panhandle. Unlike most other pitcher plants which have hoods covering the pitcher openings, members of the Sarracenia purpurea complex (to which this species or subspecies, depending on your taxonomical views, belongs) have pitchers that open to the sky, allowing rainwater to accumulate inside the hollow pitchers. This likely aids in prey acquisition as small insects that may fall into the water drown and are digested by enzymes secreted by the plant.
We found this species difficult to find, even when abundant in certain areas. The pitchers grow low against the ground and are typically at least partially covered by dense grass and the flowers, while bright, are generally short, especially this early in the season. Luckily we were able to find a few in bloom, and this scene caught my attention, with the plant nestled perfectly in the grass, with the flowers appearing to be parent birds preparing to feed the hungry pitchers below.