Carnivorous plants questions.

Question:

For the last time, Patrick.

Oh, I bet he could trick you into saying it ANOTHER last time if he wants to. -paggers There is no such thing as your "carnivorous Parrot Plant from Ceylon". The plant you describe does not exist and never did. You would never have seen it in any book on carnivorous plants either because it does not exist. You insist the only carnivorous plant from Sri Lanka (Ceylon) that even comes close to your description (Nepenthes distillatoria) isn’t it.

– "Flowers are commonly badly designed, inartistic in color, & ill-smelling." -Ambrose Bierce Visit the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.angelfire.com/grrl/paghat/gardenhome.html#top

Response:

So you’re convinced that he’s just another troll playing around? He has yet to prove he has any real interest in carnivorous plants.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – For the last time, Patrick. Oh, I bet he could trick you into saying it ANOTHER last time if he wants to. -paggers There is no such thing as your "carnivorous Parrot Plant from Ceylon". The plant you describe does not exist and never did. You would never have seen it in any book on carnivorous plants either because it does not exist. You insist the only carnivorous plant from Sri Lanka (Ceylon) that even comes close to your description (Nepenthes distillatoria) isn’t it. — "Flowers are commonly badly designed, inartistic in color, & ill-smelling." -Ambrose Bierce Visit the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.angelfire.com/grrl/paghat/gardenhome.html#top

Response:

Which one of these could I use for politicians? O.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dear Patrick, You have heard wrong. Genuine carnivorous plants occur in six different plant families. Three families have leaves that act as fly paper or active traps. Droseraceae (Drosera, Drosophyllum, Dionaea, Aldrovanda) Byblidaceae (Byblis) Lentibulariaceae (Utricularia, Genlisea, Pinguicula) Pitcher plants are found in three very different plant families. Sarraceniaceae (Sarracenia, Darlingtonia, Heliamphora) Nepenthaceae (Nepenthes) Cephalotaceae (Cephalotus) Spiny desert plant are not carnivorous. There are no carnivorous plants among the monocots. Some bromeliads have a water filled leaf crown but they are not carnivorous. Many plant have glandular hairy leaves and/or stems that trap insects and are mistaken for carnivorous plants. Never heard of the "Madagascar Parrot plant". Is it a common name for a species of Nepenthes? See the carnivorous plant home page for more info. http://www.carnivorousplants.org/ I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. — Patrick D. Rockwell

Response:

For the last time, Patrick. There is no such thing as your "carnivorous Parrot Plant from Ceylon". The plant you describe does not exist and never did. You would never have seen it in any book on carnivorous plants either because it does not exist. You insist the only carnivorous plant from Sri Lanka (Ceylon) that even comes close to your description (Nepenthes distillatoria) isn’t it.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – "Patrick I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. I never heard of carniverous Century plant (Agave sp), nor a carniverous Parrot Plant; but my not hearing of them doesn’t mean much. Several epiphytic succulents like the Century Plant may in fact feed on insects [snip] I just remembered something! When I first read about the carnivorous Parrot Plant, I read it in a science book in 1967 when I was eleven years old. But I think that it wasn’t from Madagascar, but from Ceylon! Any carnivorous plants there? I saw a picture in this science book which looked like a wide bird beak sitting on the ground ready to snap shut on anything that stepped into it. A bit remensicent of some of the man-eating plants that you might have seen depicted in various sci-fi, horror, fantasy films. As for the Century Plant, I recently saw an old black & white move called "The Thing From Another World", in which one of the characters discussed intelligence in animals, and said that the Century Plant could trap insects and small rodents to digest them, but I guess that’s not true. -Patrick- Do you mean the parrot pitcher plant from Florida? Sarracenia psittacina? It does not snap shut, no pitcher plants do. I think you can find information and a picture in the cp faq at www.sarracenia.com No, the one that I saw looked different. Of course, it was years ago, and I think that I only saw it in that one book. At most, I might have seen it referenced again in another book about carnivorous plants. But I’m sure that what I saw was from Sri Lanka (or Ceylon as it was listed in the book), not Florida.

Response:

Which one of these could I use for politicians?

How about Nepenthes rajah? It has been reported to trap rats and small reptiles. Politicians shouldn’t stretch the diet too much.

Response:

Why bother? Think anthrax!!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Which one of these could I use for politicians? O. Dear Patrick, You have heard wrong. Genuine carnivorous plants occur in six different plant families. Three families have leaves that act as fly paper or active traps. Droseraceae (Drosera, Drosophyllum, Dionaea, Aldrovanda) Byblidaceae (Byblis) Lentibulariaceae (Utricularia, Genlisea, Pinguicula) Pitcher plants are found in three very different plant families. Sarraceniaceae (Sarracenia, Darlingtonia, Heliamphora) Nepenthaceae (Nepenthes) Cephalotaceae (Cephalotus) Spiny desert plant are not carnivorous. There are no carnivorous plants among the monocots. Some bromeliads have a water filled leaf crown but they are not carnivorous. Many plant have glandular hairy leaves and/or stems that trap insects and are mistaken for carnivorous plants. Never heard of the "Madagascar Parrot plant". Is it a common name for a species of Nepenthes? See the carnivorous plant home page for more info. http://www.carnivorousplants.org/ I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. — Patrick D. Rockwell

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. I never heard of carniverous Century plant (Agave sp), nor a carniverous Parrot Plant; but my not hearing of them doesn’t mean much. Several epiphytic succulents like the Century Plant may in fact feed on insects [snip] I just remembered something! When I first read about the carnivorous Parrot Plant, I read it in a science book in 1967 when I was eleven years old. But I think that it wasn’t from Madagascar, but from Ceylon! Any carnivorous plants there? I saw a picture in this science book which looked like a wide bird beak sitting on the ground ready to snap shut on anything that stepped into it. A bit remensicent of some of the man-eating plants that you might have seen depicted in various sci-fi, horror, fantasy films. As for the Century Plant, I recently saw an old black & white move called "The Thing From Another World", in which one of the characters discussed intelligence in animals, and said that the Century Plant could trap insects and small rodents to digest them, but I guess that’s not true. -Patrick- Do you mean the parrot pitcher plant from Florida? Sarracenia psittacina? It does not snap shut, no pitcher plants do. I think you can find information and a picture in the cp faq at www.sarracenia.com

No, the one that I saw looked different. Of course, it was years ago, and I think that I only saw it in that one book. At most, I might have seen it referenced again in another book about carnivorous plants. But I’m sure that what I saw was from Sri Lanka (or Ceylon as it was listed in the book), not Florida.

Response:

[sigh!] |-( Ok, one last time. The book that I saw the plant in was a SCIENCE BOOK, NOT a SCIENCE FICTION book. And I only compared the look of the plant to a tv depiction of a man-eating plant. The SCIENCE BOOK in question described the plant as being an insectivorous plant from Ceylon (Now Sri Lanka). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Like the Walrus said, There is the parrot pitcher plant from Florida (Sarracenia psittacina) but it does not have active traps. http://www.sarracenia.com/galleria/g252.html http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html BTW, wasn’t Paul the walrus? — electric walrus If that is what your "Parrot Plant" is, there is no such thing. The Asiatic species of Nepenthes do not have active traps. You shouldn’t watch bad science fiction movies, they have really badly made "man-eating plants" and really bad science advice written by hack writers. Someone your age should know better. The reality of carnivorous plants is far more interesting. I didn’t say that I believe in man eating plants, or in what I see in science fiction/fantasy/horror, nor did I say anything about taking advice from hack writers. My reference to man eating plants in the sci-fi/fantasy/horror genre was only a comparison to the photo that I saw in the science book.I know that I read about this. I was wrong about the country when I said Madagascar, and for all I know, I could be wrong about the name "Parrot Plant" but I’m sure that is what I read. BTW, Ceylon is now Sri Lanka. Thanks for the correction. "Patrick I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. I never heard of carniverous Century plant (Agave sp), nor a carniverous Parrot Plant; but my not hearing of them doesn’t mean much. Several epiphytic succulents like the Century Plant may in fact feed on insects [snip] I just remembered something! When I first read about the carnivorous Parrot Plant, I read it in a science book in 1967 when I was eleven years old. But I think that it wasn’t from Madagascar, but from Ceylon! Any carnivorous plants there? I saw a picture in this science book which looked like a wide bird beak sitting on the ground ready to snap shut on anything that stepped into it. A bit remensicent of some of the man-eating plants that you might have seen depicted in various sci-fi, horror, fantasy films. As for the Century Plant, I recently saw an old black & white move called "The Thing From Another World", in which one of the characters discussed intelligence in animals, and said that the Century Plant could trap insects and small rodents to digest them, but I guess that’s not true. -Patrick-

Response:

No, it sure doesn’t look like it. The photo that I saw was a top view that looked like an open beak on the ground. My impression was that it was supposed to snap shut as soon as something walked over it. http://www.borneoexotics.com/Species%20Data/dist.htm http://www.easycarnivores.co.uk/shop/en-gb/dept_4.html

http://biologicalservers.8m.com/cgi-bin/i/botanic/hidro_botanic/Nepen… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – stillatoria.jpg If you had done a google search, you would have found it yourself. None-the-less, what you read as a child about man eating plants is completely fictitious from badly written SCI-FI and does nothing toward understanding or appreciating genuine carnivorous plants. Trying to find out more about a plant that doesn’t exist is a waste of time. The real thing is far more interesting. [sigh!] |-( Ok, one last time. The book that I saw the plant in was a SCIENCE BOOK, NOT a SCIENCE FICTION book. And I only compared the look of the plant to a tv depiction of a man-eating plant. The SCIENCE BOOK in question described the plant as being an insectivorous plant from Ceylon (Now Sri Lanka). Like the Walrus said, There is the parrot pitcher plant from Florida (Sarracenia psittacina) but it does not have active traps. http://www.sarracenia.com/galleria/g252.html http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html BTW, wasn’t Paul the walrus? — electric walrus If that is what your "Parrot Plant" is, there is no such thing. The Asiatic species of Nepenthes do not have active traps. You shouldn’t watch bad science fiction movies, they have really badly made "man-eating plants" and really bad science advice written by hack writers. Someone your age should know better. The reality of carnivorous plants is far more interesting. I didn’t say that I believe in man eating plants, or in what I see in science fiction/fantasy/horror, nor did I say anything about taking advice from hack writers. My reference to man eating plants in the sci-fi/fantasy/horror genre was only a comparison to the photo that I saw in the science book.I know that I read about this. I was wrong about the country when I said Madagascar, and for all I know, I could be wrong about the name "Parrot Plant" but I’m sure that is what I read. BTW, Ceylon is now Sri Lanka. Thanks for the correction. In article

Response:

An for the last time, I said comparing it to some silly plant in a bad science fiction does not help in identifying it.

Sure it does! The primary source on the carniverous wisteria is Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s weird tale "The Giant Wisteria." If not for that story we wouldn’t even know that giant carniverous wisterias existed. And what about Ray Bradbury’s "Boys! Raise Giant Mushrooms In YOUR Cellar!" Would you have known about world-conquering killer mushrooms without Ray Bradbury to tell you? And if so, I bet you have nobody to thank but John Collier whose 1932 tale "Green Thoughts" reveals all one needs to know about carniverous orchids, as plagiarised for the film(s) Little Shop of Horrors. Or Edith Nesbit’s 1923 tale of "The Pavillion" is very revealing about man-eatint vines. You can’t rely on no damn science book for that! Oh, oh, what about Hal Pink’s "The Screaming Plant." We might all be planting mandrakes in our gardens & getting killed by them if not for Hal Pink’s warning! And if not for Robert E. Howard’s "Garden of Fear" how could be possibly know that flowers can become vampires. Would we know there are giant man-eating flowers in the North Carolina wilderness if Manly Wade Wellman hadn’t reported about them in "Come into my Parlor"? I think not! The truth is out there, but scientists know they’ll be hunted down by the government & their brains sucked out (ah, but but what sort of plant!) if they told too much. Heck, we even owe Barry Pain a debt of gratitude for warning us about "The Tree of Death" which produces one giant seed with tentacles that must eat a human being in order to germinate. And if not for Howard Pease’s 1919 tale of "The Wizard of Glororum" however would we know that pitcher plants can grow to a size large enough to devour a man. And who but Jack Snow would have had the nerve to warn us about "The Seed," of an African plant that only germinates its seed in the stomach of a virgin, to her unhappy end. We know only from Carl Jacobi that a walking stick made from The Death Tree can carry out an act of vengeance, as unfolds in "The Cane." And because I doubt you ever read anything by the obscure Neville Kelvington, you are most assuredly at risk of being eaten by the very giant plant described in Trezbound’s diary in the "Meshes of Doom." -paghat the ratgirl — "Flowers are commonly badly designed, inartistic in color, & ill-smelling." -Ambrose Bierce Visit the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.angelfire.com/grrl/paghat/gardenhome.html#top

Response:

An for the last time, I said comparing it to some silly plant in a bad science fiction does not help in identifying it. No science book would say a plant from Ceylon (= Sri Lanka) actively catches animals because no such plant is found on the island. The only carnivorous plant native to Sri Lanka that remotely resembles your "Parrot Plant" is Nepenthes distillatoria. Is that your plant? http://www.borneoexotics.com/Species%20Data/dist.htm http://www.easycarnivores.co.uk/shop/en-gb/dept_4.html http://biologicalservers.8m.com/cgi-bin/i/botanic/hidro_botanic/Nepen… stillatoria.jpg If you had done a google search, you would have found it yourself. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – None-the-less, what you read as a child about man eating plants is completely fictitious from badly written SCI-FI and does nothing toward understanding or appreciating genuine carnivorous plants. Trying to find out more about a plant that doesn’t exist is a waste of time. The real thing is far more interesting. [sigh!] |-( Ok, one last time. The book that I saw the plant in was a SCIENCE BOOK, NOT a SCIENCE FICTION book. And I only compared the look of the plant to a tv depiction of a man-eating plant. The SCIENCE BOOK in question described the plant as being an insectivorous plant from Ceylon (Now Sri Lanka). Like the Walrus said, There is the parrot pitcher plant from Florida (Sarracenia psittacina) but it does not have active traps. http://www.sarracenia.com/galleria/g252.html http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html BTW, wasn’t Paul the walrus? — electric walrus If that is what your "Parrot Plant" is, there is no such thing. The Asiatic species of Nepenthes do not have active traps. You shouldn’t watch bad science fiction movies, they have really badly made "man-eating plants" and really bad science advice written by hack writers. Someone your age should know better. The reality of carnivorous plants is far more interesting. I didn’t say that I believe in man eating plants, or in what I see in science fiction/fantasy/horror, nor did I say anything about taking advice from hack writers. My reference to man eating plants in the sci-fi/fantasy/horror genre was only a comparison to the photo that I saw in the science book.I know that I read about this. I was wrong about the country when I said Madagascar, and for all I know, I could be wrong about the name "Parrot Plant" but I’m sure that is what I read. BTW, Ceylon is now Sri Lanka. Thanks for the correction. "Patrick I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. I never heard of carniverous Century plant (Agave sp), nor a carniverous Parrot Plant; but my not hearing of them doesn’t mean much. Several epiphytic succulents like the Century Plant may in fact feed on insects [snip] I just remembered something! When I first read about the carnivorous Parrot Plant, I read it in a science book in 1967 when I was eleven years old. But I think that it wasn’t from Madagascar, but from Ceylon! Any carnivorous plants there? I saw a picture in this science book which looked like a wide bird beak sitting on the ground ready to snap shut on anything that stepped into it. A bit remensicent of some of the man-eating plants that you might have seen depicted in various sci-fi, horror, fantasy films. As for the Century Plant, I recently saw an old black & white move called "The Thing From Another World", in which one of the characters discussed intelligence in animals, and said that the Century Plant could trap insects and small rodents to digest them, but I guess that’s not true. -Patrick-

Response:

Check out www.californiacarinvores.com or The Carnivorous Plant FAQ at http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html There are many other sorts of carnivorous plants. If by Century Plant you mean species of Agave, I don’t believe they are carnivorous. M. Reed. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. — Patrick D. Rockwell

Response:

None-the-less, what you read as a child about man eating plants is completely fictitious from badly written SCI-FI and does nothing toward understanding or appreciating genuine carnivorous plants. Trying to find out more about a plant that doesn’t exist is a waste of time. The real thing is far more interesting. Like the Walrus said, There is the parrot pitcher plant from Florida (Sarracenia psittacina) but it does not have active traps. http://www.sarracenia.com/galleria/g252.html http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html BTW, wasn’t Paul the walrus? — electric walrus – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If that is what your "Parrot Plant" is, there is no such thing. The Asiatic species of Nepenthes do not have active traps. You shouldn’t watch bad science fiction movies, they have really badly made "man-eating plants" and really bad science advice written by hack writers. Someone your age should know better. The reality of carnivorous plants is far more interesting. I didn’t say that I believe in man eating plants, or in what I see in science fiction/fantasy/horror, nor did I say anything about taking advice from hack writers. My reference to man eating plants in the sci-fi/fantasy/horror genre was only a comparison to the photo that I saw in the science book.I know that I read about this. I was wrong about the country when I said Madagascar, and for all I know, I could be wrong about the name "Parrot Plant" but I’m sure that is what I read. BTW, Ceylon is now Sri Lanka. Thanks for the correction. "Patrick I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. I never heard of carniverous Century plant (Agave sp), nor a carniverous Parrot Plant; but my not hearing of them doesn’t mean much. Several epiphytic succulents like the Century Plant may in fact feed on insects [snip] I just remembered something! When I first read about the carnivorous Parrot Plant, I read it in a science book in 1967 when I was eleven years old. But I think that it wasn’t from Madagascar, but from Ceylon! Any carnivorous plants there? I saw a picture in this science book which looked like a wide bird beak sitting on the ground ready to snap shut on anything that stepped into it. A bit remensicent of some of the man-eating plants that you might have seen depicted in various sci-fi, horror, fantasy films. As for the Century Plant, I recently saw an old black & white move called "The Thing From Another World", in which one of the characters discussed intelligence in animals, and said that the Century Plant could trap insects and small rodents to digest them, but I guess that’s not true. -Patrick-

Response:

If that is what your "Parrot Plant" is, there is no such thing. The Asiatic species of Nepenthes do not have active traps. You shouldn’t watch bad science fiction movies, they have really badly made "man-eating plants" and really bad science advice written by hack writers. Someone your age should know better. The reality of carnivorous plants is far more interesting.

I didn’t say that I believe in man eating plants, or in what I see in science fiction/fantasy/horror, nor did I say anything about taking advice from hack writers. My reference to man eating plants in the sci-fi/fantasy/horror genre was only a comparison to the photo that I saw in the science book.I know that I read about this. I was wrong about the country when I said Madagascar, and for all I know, I could be wrong about the name "Parrot Plant" but I’m sure that is what I read. BTW, Ceylon is now Sri Lanka.

Thanks for the correction. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – "Patrick I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. I never heard of carniverous Century plant (Agave sp), nor a carniverous Parrot Plant; but my not hearing of them doesn’t mean much. Several epiphytic succulents like the Century Plant may in fact feed on insects [snip] I just remembered something! When I first read about the carnivorous Parrot Plant, I read it in a science book in 1967 when I was eleven years old. But I think that it wasn’t from Madagascar, but from Ceylon! Any carnivorous plants there? I saw a picture in this science book which looked like a wide bird beak sitting on the ground ready to snap shut on anything that stepped into it. A bit remensicent of some of the man-eating plants that you might have seen depicted in various sci-fi, horror, fantasy films. As for the Century Plant, I recently saw an old black & white move called "The Thing From Another World", in which one of the characters discussed intelligence in animals, and said that the Century Plant could trap insects and small rodents to digest them, but I guess that’s not true. -Patrick-

Response:

I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. — Patrick D. Rockwell

Response:

I never heard of carniverous Century plant (Agave sp), nor a carniverous Parrot Plant; but my not hearing of them doesn’t mean much. Several epiphytic succulents like the Century Plant may in fact feed on insects but probably only those that incidentally die in the soilless invironments & arboreal settings of many epiphytes, so I’m not ruling it out, but I don’t think century plants are thus categorized. Your list appears to miss Aldrovanada (Waterwheels) which resemble pitcher plants; Cobra Lily (Darlingtonia, not jack-in-the-pulpit cobra lilies) which is one of the most garden-hardy of all carniverous plants; Byblis ("Rainbow Plant"); Drosophyllum (Dewy Pine); Genlisea ("Corkscrew Plant" with very pretty normal flowers); & Polypomphoolyx (Fairy Aprons). Shepard’s Purse (Capsella) are known to capture insects & there are several other "sticky" plants that catch but don’t seem to ingest prey & most overviews of carniverous plants will discuss several almost-carnivors. "Pitcher plant" is itself a catch-all name for the genera Sarracenia, Heliamphora, & Nepenthes…so that is not a matter of "subspecies" at all, there being many species in each genus before ever getting round to subspecies & hybrids. There are a very few bromiliads ("air plants") that include species adapted to ingest insects that drown in their centers; I don’t have a list of the species but they occur in the genera Catopsis & Brocchinia (not all in these genera are carniverous & those which are are not completely dependent on insects to obtain nutrients). There may be other epiphytic plants that to some extent do this, I’ve not read enough about them to know for sure. There is a species of Utricularia bladderwort that lives inside the aforementioned Brocchinia, where its only nutirient source is the insects that drown in the Brocchinia, so it looks like two epiphytic plants at once are feeding off the same insects! You should obtain J. & P. Pietropaulo’s CARNIVEROUS PLANTS OF THE WORLD. In the mean time you can find out a bit in a hurry at www.sarracenia.com which site has info on more than just Sarracenia spp. -paghat — "Flowers are commonly badly designed, inartistic in color, & ill-smelling." -Ambrose Bierce Visit the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.angelfire.com/grrl/paghat/gardenhome.html#top

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. I never heard of carniverous Century plant (Agave sp), nor a carniverous Parrot Plant; but my not hearing of them doesn’t mean much. Several epiphytic succulents like the Century Plant may in fact feed on insects [snip] I just remembered something! When I first read about the carnivorous Parrot Plant, I read it in a science book in 1967 when I was eleven years old. But I think that it wasn’t from Madagascar, but from Ceylon! Any carnivorous plants there? I saw a picture in this science book which looked like a wide bird beak sitting on the ground ready to snap shut on anything that stepped into it. A bit remensicent of some of the man-eating plants that you might have seen depicted in various sci-fi, horror, fantasy films. As for the Century Plant, I recently saw an old black & white move called "The Thing From Another World", in which one of the characters discussed intelligence in animals, and said that the Century Plant could trap insects and small rodents to digest them, but I guess that’s not true. -Patrick-

Do you mean the parrot pitcher plant from Florida? Sarracenia psittacina? It does not snap shut, no pitcher plants do. I think you can find information and a picture in the cp faq at www.sarracenia.com — electric walrus

Response:

Dear Patrick, You have heard wrong. Genuine carnivorous plants occur in six different plant families. Three families have leaves that act as fly paper or active traps. Droseraceae (Drosera, Drosophyllum, Dionaea, Aldrovanda) Byblidaceae (Byblis) Lentibulariaceae (Utricularia, Genlisea, Pinguicula) Pitcher plants are found in three very different plant families. Sarraceniaceae (Sarracenia, Darlingtonia, Heliamphora) Nepenthaceae (Nepenthes) Cephalotaceae (Cephalotus) Spiny desert plant are not carnivorous. There are no carnivorous plants among the monocots. Some bromeliads have a water filled leaf crown but they are not carnivorous. Many plant have glandular hairy leaves and/or stems that trap insects and are mistaken for carnivorous plants. Never heard of the "Madagascar Parrot plant". Is it a common name for a species of Nepenthes? See the carnivorous plant home page for more info. http://www.carnivorousplants.org/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I know about 5 basic kinds of carnivorous plants. Venus fly traps, Pitcher plants, Sundews, Butterworts, & Bladderworts. Are there others? I don’t mean subspecies of the abve, like different types of Sundews or Pitcher plants. I heard that there is something called the Madagascar Parrot plant which is insectivorous. Does anyone know about this? Where can I get the information. What about the Century plant. Is that carnivorous? Thanks in advance for the information. — Patrick D. Rockwell

Response:

I just remembered something! When I first read about the carnivorous Parrot Plant, I read it in a science book in 1967 when I was eleven years old. But I think that it wasn’t from Madagascar, but from Ceylon! Any carnivorous plants there? I saw a picture in this science book which looked like a wide bird beak sitting on the ground ready to snap shut on anything that stepped into it. A bit remensicent of some of the man-eating plants that you might have seen depicted in various sci-fi, horror, fantasy films. As for the Century Plant, I recently saw an old black & white move called "The Thing From Another World", in which one of the characters discussed intelligence in animals, and said that the Century Plant could trap insects and small rodents to digest them, but I guess that’s not true. -Patrick-

Response:

Sounds possibly like the lower pitcher of a Nepenthes. N.distillatoria is found in Sri Lanka. N.madagascariensis and N.masoalensis are native to Madagascar. Most other Nepenthes species are found in South Eastern Asia. FWIW the lids of Nepenthes do not shut when prey enters the trap. After opening, the lids only tend to close when humidity is low. Andrew

Response:

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