- Which carnivorous plants grow in the rainforest?
- There are over 100 species of pitcher plants
- Some pitcher plants even eat mammals
There are over 700 species of carnivorous plants around the world. The plants, also known as carnivores, love light and humid conditions. But representatives of this interesting plant genus also occur in the rather dark rainforest. Pitcher plants from the rainforest are popular house plants with us.
There are over 100 different types of pitcher plants
Which carnivorous plants grow in the rainforest?
Although it is very humid in the rainforest, there is not much sun in the lower regions. Nevertheless, some carnivorous plants also grow here. The best-known carnivore from the rainforest is the pitcher plant (Nepenthes).
It is mainly found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia, but some species have also been discovered on Borneo.
Apparently the pitcher plant needs less sun in the wild than other carnivorous plants.
There are over 100 species of pitcher plants
Over 100 different species of pitcher plant have now been found. Since the rainforests are far from being fully explored, there should be a few more.
The pitcher plants twine their long shoots with the leaves up the trees. They develop bulbous pitchers that actually look like pitchers. They give off an aromatic and sometimes putrid scent that attracts prey. The pitchers are smooth as glass at the top, so that insects cannot stand on them, but slide into the trap.
In the lower part of the jug there is a liquid that takes care of the digestion of the caught prey.
Some pitcher plants even eat mammals
Pitcher plants mainly feed on insects such as mosquitoes, flies and everything that occurs in the rainforest.
There is even a species of giant pitcher plant that forms pitchers so large they can also use them to catch rats and squirrels. This variety is called “Nepenthes Rajah”. Their catching devices can be up to 80 centimeters long. Of course, it takes a long time for such large animals to be digested.
Pitcher plants, which you tend as ornamental plants, will of course not grow as large. Pets are therefore not at risk from carnivorous plants.
tips
There is only one small animal species in the rainforest that does not fall prey to a pitcher plant: a special species of ant. The ants can even walk through the digestive secretions. In return, they keep the edges of the pots nice and smooth.