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An insectivorous plant species. These catch insects in order to supplement the poor mineral nutrition they obtain from the soil. The leaves snap shut when the small hairs (on the red part of the leaf seen here) are triggered. When an insect or spider crawling along the leaves contacts a hair, the trap closes if a different hair is contacted within twenty seconds of the first strike. The requirement of redundant triggering in this mechanism serves as a safeguard against a waste of energy in trapping objects with no nutritional value.(Wikipedia)
Green Swamp, Bladen County, North Carolina, USA.
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One of the most magnificent examples of this species I have seen in habitat. Pictured are two separate ocurrences in a swamp complex. the plants are floating on mats of peat and vegetation.
Spinning a web inside the jaws of the insectivorous plant is a spider ...
The Venus Flytrap (also Venus's Flytrap or Venus' Flytrap), Dionaea muscipula, is a carnivorous plant that catches and digests animal prey - mostly insects and arachnids. Its trapping structure is formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant's leaves and is triggered by tiny hairs on their inner surfaces. When an insect or spider crawling along the leaves contacts a hair, the trap closes if a different hair is contacted within twenty seconds of the first strike. The requirement of redundant triggering in this mechanism serves as a safeguard against a waste of energy in trapping objects with no nutritional value.
The plant's common names refer to Venus, the Roman goddess of love, whereas the genus name refers to Dione. Dionaea is a monotypic genus closely related to the waterwheel plant and sundews.
These rare "bog islands" overlaying granite along streams, cascades, and waterfalls are home to some of the rarest plant assemblages in North America. This is one of the most rare habitats in the eastern United States.
Many thanks to Jim Fowler for taking time to help me fulfill the dream to see these wonderful places.
The carnivorous plants depicted in these photos represent a newly discovered site for these species in Georgia. the Sarracenia psittacina of these bogs are among the largest I have ever seen. It is apparent that S psittacina in highly aquatice habitats allow for giant plant development as seen in Okeefenokee swamp and on Eglin AFB.
This variant has now been published as Sarracenia psittacina var. okeefenokeensis based on morphometric characters that appear to be genetically derived. Based on my field observationsof these plants in three distinct habitats throughout the southeast, i agree with this assessment. see McPherson & Schnell, Sarraceniaceae of North America, Redfern 2012.
An unusually red form of this subspecies. Please compare to the "normal form" image later in this post.
It is difficult to say if this color variant is simply a variety or possibly the result of introgression with either S leucophylla or S psittacina and then generations of backcrosses. Nevertheless, an impressive variant.
The carnivorous plants depicted in these photos represent a newly discovered site for these species in Georgia. the Sarracenia psittacina of these bogs are among the largest I have ever seen. It is apparent that S psittacina in highly aquatice habitats allow for giant plant development as seen in Okeefenokee swamp and on Eglin AFB.
This variant has now been published as Sarracenia psittacina var. okeefenokeensis based on morphometric characters that appear to be genetically derived. Based on my field observationsof these plants in three distinct habitats throughout the southeast, i agree with this assessment. see McPherson & Schnell, Sarraceniaceae of North America, Redfern 2012.
One of the most magnificent examples of this species I have seen in habitat. Pictured are two separate ocurrences in a swamp complex. the plants are floating on mats of peat and vegetation.
The larger variant of Sarracenia psittacina is commonly observed in flooded habitats in the few areas where it occurs naturally. These primary localities are Okefenokee Swamp, west central Georgia along the fall line sandhills, and the Florida panhandle - most notably on Eglin Air Force Base.
In almost all natural occurences with habitat unaltered by man, the plants are found floating or associated with deep water in which the plants are not attached to any terra firma. It is unknown if the larger size is an adaptation to this habitat or if this large size has been selected by the habitat. Rarely is the much smaller S psittacina var. psittacina ever observed co-occurring with this larger variant in aquatic habitats.
Old pitcher (red) and newly emerged and unfurled pitcher of the same plant. Aging and sun promotes the red coloration.
The carnivorous plants depicted in these photos represent a newly discovered site for these species in Georgia. the Sarracenia psittacina of these bogs are among the largest I have ever seen. It is apparent that S psittacina in highly aquatice habitats allow for giant plant development as seen in Okefenokee swamp and on Eglin AFB.
The plants depicted here are extremely rare naturally occuring hybrids with evidence of multigenerational hybridization. A likely hybridization of [Sarracenia psittacina x Sarracenia rubra] x Sarracenia rubra.
The carnivorous plants depicted in these photos represent a newly discovered site for these species in Georgia. the Sarracenia psittacina of these bogs are among the largest I have ever seen. It is apparent that S psittacina in highly aquatice habitats allow for giant plant development as seen in Okeefenokee swamp and on Eglin AFB.
Though mature, the pitcher on this plant is less than half the size attainable by this species in habitat.
This location represents just a small fraction of larger populations of this magnificent species in nature. A very easy location to visit and see it all within 5 minutes. Handicapped accessible and very easy to walk.
A remarkably varied and beautiful natural hybrid. Many of the plants depicted in these photos are likely multigenerational hybrids and backcrosses.