Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-11-06
THE PITCHER PLANT.

racenia rariolaris) found in North America
is carnivorous, being feeder on various
animal substances The Sarracenia derives
its name of "Ptcher plant" from the fact of
its possessing the following curious charac-
teristics. The median nerve is prolonged
beyond the leaves in the manner of a tendril
and terminates in species of cup or urn.
This cup is ordinarily three or fourinches in
depth, and one to one and half-inches in
width The orifce of the cup is covered
with lid, which opens and shuts at certain
periods. At sunrise the cup is found illed
with sweet, limpid water, at which time the
lid is down. In the course of the day the
lid opens, when nearly half the water is
evaporated; but during the night this loss
is made up and the next morning the cup
is again quite full aud the lid is shut. About
the middle of March the plants put forth
their leaves, which are from six to twelve
inches long, hollow, and shaped like
trumpet. A broad wing extends along
one side of the leaf, from the base to
the opening at the top; this wing is bound,
or edged with purple cord which extends
likewise around the cup. This cord Sc
cretes sweet fluid, and not only flying in
sects, but those also that crawl upon the
ground, are attracted by it to the plants.
Ants, especially, are very fond of this fluid,
so that line of aphides, extending from
the base to the summit of leaf, may fire.
auently be observed slowly advancing to-
wards the ori6ce Of the cup, down which
they disappear, never to return. Flying in
sects of every kind are equally drawn to
the plant; and directly they taste the fluid
they act very curiously. After feeding upon
~ f,r fryn thraa pntnc thnC
become quite stupid, unsteady on their feet,
and whilst trying to pass their legs over
their wings to clear them, they fall down.
It is of no use to liberate any Of the smaller
insects, every fly, removed from the leaf
upon which it had been feeding, returned
Immediately it was at liberty to do so, and
walked down the fatal cup as though drawn
to it by species of irresistible fascination.
1t is not alone that flies and other small in-
sects are overpowered by the fluid which
exudes from the cord in question. Even
large insects succumb to it, although
of course not SO quickly Mrs. Treat
says: ga large cockroach was feeding on
the secretion of a fresh leaf which had
caught but little or no prey. After feeding
short time the insect went down the
tube so tight that could not dislodge it,
even when turning the leaf upside down and
knocking it quite hard. 1t was late in the
evening when observed it enter; the next
morning cut the tube open; the cockroach
was still alive, but it was covered with Sc
cretion produced from the inner surface of
the tube, and its legs fell off as 1 extricated
it. From all appearance the terrible Sarra-
cenia was eating its victim alive. And yet,
perhaps, should not say TERRIBLE for the
plant seems to supply itself with a Lethe.
like draught before devouring them" If
only few insects alight upon leaf no un-
pleasant smell is perceptible during or after
the process of digestion; but if a large num-
Der of them be caught, which is commonly
the case, most offensive odor emanates
from the cup, although the putrid matter
does not appear to injure in any manner the
inner surface of the tube, food, even in this
condition, being readily absorbed, and go
seem that the SarraceniG, like some
animals, can feed upon carrion and
thrive upon it, In instances in which ex
periments have been made with fresh, raw
beef or mutton, the meat has been covered
in a lew hours with the secretions of the
leaves, and the blood extracted from it.
There is, however, one difference between
the digesting powers of the leaves when ex-
ercised upon insects or upon meat. Even if
the bodies of insects have become putrid, !,
the plant, as has already been stated: has
no difficulty in assimilating them; but as
regards meat, it is only when it is perfectly
sweet that the secretions of the leaves will
act upon it. The pitcher plant undoubtedly
derives its principal nourishment from the
insects it eats. 1t. too-unlike most other
carnivorous plants, which, when the guam
tity of food with which they have to deal is
in excess of their powers of digestion, sue
cumb to the effort and die-appears to find
it easy to devour any number of insects,
small or large, the operation being with it
simply question of time. Flies, beetles, or
even cockroaches, at the expiration ofthree
or four days at most, disappear, nothing
being left of them save their wings and
other hard parts of their bodies. The Sar-
raceaia is, indeed, not only the most vora-
cious of all known species of carnivorous
plants, but the least fastidious as to the ma
ture of the food upon which it feeds.-Na.
ture.