The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-10-12
The Florida Pitcher Plant.

LARRY IN March, the new leaves of the
pltcher-plant (sarracenia variolaris) be-
gin to make their appearance, and, soon
after, the large yellow flower, with its
dropping petals, is very conspicuous every
where on the damp pine barrens of Flori-
ga. IL Is one OF the most remarkable of
all our insectivorous plants, and DESTROYS
by far larger number of insects than any
carnivorous plant with which I am ac-
quainted The leaves are from six to
twelve inches in length, hollow and
trumpct-shaped; they stand very erect,
and the opening is covered by rounded
archlnS hood. just below the hood the
leaf is spotted with pure white, and
these spots are surrounded by bright scar
let veins. The inner surface OF the hood
is lined with brilliant colers; finely retic-
ulated veins of scarlet run over a yellow
lsh ground: A broad wing extends along
one side of the leaf from the base to the
opening at the summit; the wing is
bound or edged by purplish cord, which
also extends around the opening. This
cord or edge of the wing is one of the
most wonderful features of the plant
From observations taken on the ground
where the plants grew, found innumer-
able insects were attracted to them. The
Haunting yellow flower may lure many
moths and butterflies to the plant, but the
flower is not the attraction after they reach
it. This cord that runs along the edge of
the wing secretes sweet fluid, and as the
wing reaches to the base OF the leaf, in
sects that crawl on the ground as we'll as
those that fly are attracted to this sweet
secretion. | noticed on some of the plants
line OF small ants extending from the
base OF the leaf to the summit, feeding on
the secretion; SO numerous were they that
they crowded each other, but all steadily
advancing to the opening, down which
they disappeared.
All persons who have observed, ants
feeding have probably noticed the regular
order in which they move to and fro from
their food. The aphides (plant-lice) pro-
duce sweet secretion of which the ants
are very fond. Linn9us, with his fertile
imagination, called the aphides the ants
cows. The ants are very friendly toward
aphides, for they supply them with
abundant food, on which they thrive.
Now if we observe the ants feeding on
this secretion from the aphides, we can
also see that they form two regular lines,
the hungry ones moving up the stem to
take their food, and the satisfied ones re-
turning down the stem; and very friendly
sacb otbers ht f never geng
smother az tbev meot t' vtin tha; t Que
mn toaetber % if co p im a sn,'a
tbins and tben thev nasa "a nsc Ioh h;s
own Wav Marx the di HEsr Wn, WAN th the
ants are fonnd feed;nr nn tha s,ye "ae sncrn '
t;on If sarracan;a yarin,ar;s ." ,,o,,, +he,,
crowd and ;ostla ora auntha, n and coy .n.y
Wild in the;r n,nve1menta and ora si Ho az
vancinp in one line toward the snmmit Of
the Leaf IN reach;nr whiaa 1beu d;san ~
near down tho w;flass 4hro,t IF ~; fhas inse.
liable saryaces,ia No. ret ctr, line here
This observed IN. The the nine. barrens
where the niants g,ew - now took a
laroe s,,nniv ssf geayes IL nv stndv and
nlaced thcm n an unrieht nositinn IN
vases Of water to keen item fresh, and
onened the windows, I'd admit the vsrious