Basin's carnivorous plants

basin79

ArachnoGod
Active Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
5,893
Had a play with black and white.

Drosera capensis






Also had another case of false vivipary in another sundew.


 

schmiggle

Arachnoking
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
2,220
How do these plants work ? I know the insect gets stuck there but what happens after ?
The plant releases digestive enzymes through the sticky glands that break down the soft parts of the insect. With many Drosera (including capensis), the leaf also curls around the insect and sticks more tentacles to it, both preventing it from escaping and making digestion more efficient. When the soft parts are completely broken down, the leaf opens back up and the carcass is blown away on the wind, or the leaf simply dies and a fresh one grows.
 

basin79

ArachnoGod
Active Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
5,893
How do these plants work ? I know the insect gets stuck there but what happens after ?
Depends how large the insect is. Tiny flies will get stuck on a single stalk and just be dissolved.

The larger the insect the more it can struggle the more stalks will bend towards it to. Really large prey the whole leaf will fold up. Then the insect is broken down. I've got a pics on here but I'll post them again so you can see.

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schmiggle

Arachnoking
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
2,220
Depends how large the insect is. Tiny flies will get stuck on a single stalk and just be dissolved.

The larger the insect the more it can struggle the more stalks will bend towards it to. Really large prey the whole leaf will fold up. Then the insect is broken down. I've got a pics on here but I'll post them again so you can see.

View attachment 372036 View attachment 372037 View attachment 372038 View attachment 372039 View attachment 372040 View attachment 372041 View attachment 372042
Yeah, good point--the bigger the insect, the more it folds. The plant is very clever about resource allocation, and I have no idea how it can tell how much to fold the leaf.
 
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