Editor's note: In the huge plant kingdom, there is a type of plant that reproduces on our blue planet with their special way of survival. They can capture small insects and even small mammals, and decompose and utilize them to meet their own nutritional needs. They are famous and magical and diverse carnivorous plants.
Understand carnivorous plants
Carnivorous plants are a type of autotrophic plants that can catch prey on their own and have a certain digestive mechanism to obtain nutrients.
Most carnivorous plants, such as 黄色黄色 (Drosera), 黄色黄色 (Dionaea), etc., can synthesize digestive enzyme to decompose prey, but some species themselves cannot synthesize digestive enzymes, and use symbionts to decompose prey, such as genus 8 Roridula and stinger bugs (Pameridea), some genus 8 Heliamphorah (Heliamphorah), and some species and bacteria, so they can also be regarded as carnivorous plants.
Although some plants have the ability to stick and kill insects, there is no mechanism for decomposing insects, and there is no evidence that plants can obtain nutrients from insects. This type of plants can only be regarded as insect-catching plants. The purpose of their insect hunting is not to obtain nutrients from prey, but a self-protection mechanism, such as passionflower (Passiflora foetida).
The prey of carnivorous plants is mostly insects and arthropods, so it is also called insectivorous plant . However, some species of Nepenthes can even prey on small mammals or reptiles under specific circumstances, so the general term carnivorous plants is more appropriate than insectivorous plants.
Other species in this family, such as apple nepenthes (Nepenthes ampullaria), Nepenthes lowwii, etc., the main way to obtain nutrition is not to capture animals, but to collect dead branches, leaves and feces. Although its carnivorous properties have been degraded to a certain extent, since their characteristic organ structure is not essentially different from ordinary Nepenthes , they are still classified as carnivorous plants.
Causes of carnivorous
Carnivorous plants generally grow in "bad places". These places are relatively barren due to various reasons, such as the soil being washed by rainwater for a long time, especially the lack of nitrogen element ; or the pH is not conducive to plants absorbing mineral nutrients. Such examples include moist and acidic swamps and misty high-altitude rocks. Currently (to 2021) International Carnivorous Plant Association (ICPS) records that there are about 12 families and 20 genera, with a total of about 862 species. There are 9 families in the Kunming Botanical Garden of Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and about 700 species (including varieties).
botanical classification of carnivorous plants is as follows:
carnivorous plants have 6 basic trapping mechanisms (the following figure lists the basic mechanism and attaches representative genus or species):
trapping mechanism of carnivorous plants
6 plants in carnivorous plants have evolved insect traps based on the principle of adhesive, including the genus 8 Pinguiculah (Byblis), the genus titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titanium titan This structure separates the mucus from the leaf surface and there is air circulation, which is to wait for hunting without the loss of the leaves from the leaves because of the large amount of mucus wrapped around the leaf surface, causing damage to the leaves.
is divided into three types according to the length and type of the gland stem: the principle of relatively flat sticky paper , which is relatively three-dimensional and fixed inmovable sticky tentacles and which are relatively three-dimensional and can actively increase the contact area. The stalactites of the 6 genera of the insect-catching Panax notoginseng are very short in their leaves, so the prey they catch is as if they are directly pasted on the surface of the leaves, like flies sticking to sticky fly paper.However, it was observed that some varieties of tentacles were as mobile as those of the sausage. The gland stems that secrete mucus on the surface of the leaves of plants of the genus Glyphidae, Tremella, and Tremella are 10 times or even more than those of the genus Glyphidae. The glands that secrete mucus are at the end of the tentacles. The tentacles of these species are fixed and inactive, and belong to the relatively three-dimensional and fixed and inactive type of sticky tentacles. Most species of the genus Maples have relatively three-dimensional and movable sticky tentacle insect traps. The mucus droplets secreted by these carnivorous plants (except insect-catching trees) are crystal clear and like nectar, which can attract insects. When the prey is stuck, the digestive enzymes on the gland digest the prey, and then absorb the digested nutrients. Especially after the plants of the genus genus genus cerevisia catch the prey, the surrounding tentacles will actively bend in the direction of the prey, so that more tentacles with mucus come into contact with the prey, and a large amount of mucus suffocates the prey, and directly increase the contact area between the digestive gland and the prey, killing and digesting the prey faster for your own use.
Giral hair of insects in Virgin
Giral hair of turtle trench
Giral hair of medusa insect tree Close-up
Plants of carnivorous plants have evolved into bottle-like insect traps with open openings and digestive fluids, including Nepentheshtml (Nepensthes), Sunboats (Heliamphorah), Bottles (Sarracenia), Cobra Bottles (Darlingtonia), Soil Bottles (Cephalotus), Brocchiniah, and Chiabao Pineapple (Catopsish). They all rolled their leaves into containers to store the secreted digestive fluids composed of digestive enzymes and/or bacteria. It is worth noting that the bottle-like insect traps composed of leaves of the two types of pineapple did not produce sutures, and the leaves were separated, while the vascular bundle distribution evidence shows that insect traps of other genus were evolved from the stitching of leaves along the upper surface. In addition, Nepentheliaceae, Boxaceae, and Soil Boxaceae belong to different purposes, but they all evolved bottle-like insect traps with similar structures, which belong to convergence evolution .
is divided into two types: bottle-shaped insect traps containing more digestive fluids and relatively open (no cover or not large area of the cover covering the opening) and bottle-shaped insect traps containing less digestive fluids and have a cover covering the opening (relatively not open). Most species of Nepenthes genus, including Sunboat, Solid, Boluo Pineapple, and Garbo Pineapple, as well as the purple bottle grass (Sarracenia purpurea) and Rose Boluo Pineapple (Sarracenia rosea) in the genus of Boluo Pineapple, are both bottle-like insect traps containing more digestive fluids. They have no cover or are relatively small in lids, so they cannot completely prevent rainwater from entering. They belong to the first type; while the digestible fluid in the insect bottles of most species of the genus of Cobra Boluo Pineapple and Boluo Pineapple are not as much as those mentioned above, and have evolved a relatively large cover covering bottle mouth or specialized outlet with smaller and not directly open special structure. Rainwater does not enter the insect bottle so easily, so it belongs to the second type with relatively low openness.
Although the species of these seven genera have the same trap principle, each species has different degrees of specialization of . Some species are relatively primitive and have simple structures, while others have highly specialized and complex organs. For example, the insect trap of the genus Sunbottle is one of the simplest such traps, basically simple leaf stitching. Compared with the genus Bobs or Nepenthes, its cover is very small and does not play any role in shielding the rain. It is difficult to call it a lip when the bottle is occasionally rolled up, and the insect trap itself also integrates hunting and photosynthesis . Although the degree of specialization is not as complex as that of Nepenthes and Boxa, its structure is also sufficient to adapt to the native environment.For example, the blade suture has a small gap from top to waist, and the wings on both sides of the gap form a capillary drainage structure. This structure can well adapt to the huge rainfall in the native area, effectively discharge excess rainwater, and prevent the insect-catching bottle from losing too much digestive fluid and prey, or breaking and damaging the organs. The insect-catching bottle of the Nepenthes genus Nepenthes (commonly known as cages) is a more specialized and complex organ. It is formed by the expansion of the end of the cage obtained by the extension of the veins in the middle of the leaves. It contains a large amount of digestive fluid that has been secreted for a long time, waiting for prey like a stomach. The function of its insect trap is also highly specialized. Its main function is to capture animals to obtain nutrition, and most of the photosynthesis is carried out by leaves. The two species of Cobra Bottle Grass (Darlingtonia californica) and Parrot Bottle Grass (Sarracenia psittacina) have even evolved complex traps with multiple trapping mechanisms at the same time.
Carnivorous plants of these seven genera use special leaves to store liquid, provide water, secrete a large amount of honey to emit odor, concentrate carbon dioxide, or reflect different spectra to attract animals. The lids, wings, bottle mouths, bottle bodies, etc. of suture insect trapping bottle species are all distributed with nectar glands. The closer to the bottle mouth, the richer the nectar glands. All nectar distributions are to lead prey to the bottle mouth step by step, and the bottle mouth has a smooth lip surface with a special structure. The honey secreted by some species also contains anesthetic ingredients. For example, the honey juice of yellow bottle grass (Sarracenia flava) contains coniine. When the prey is lost in spirit or is anesthetized and trance, it falls into the bottle. The bottle wall has a smooth waxy layer or upside down bridles, making it impossible for prey to catch and crawl out of the insect-catching bottle. Usually, the surface tension of the digestive fluid in the bottle is relatively low. In addition, the digestive fluid of some species is still very sticky, which makes the prey quickly sink below the liquid level and drown, and then is decomposed and absorbed by the digestive fluid.
Sun bottle drain
Indian Nepenthes Indian Nepenthes Indian Nepenthes
Bottle Grass 8Bottle Grass
Horse plantsThe two species, Cobra Bottle Grass and Parrot Bottle Grass, not only evolved the above-mentioned insect bottles containing digestive fluid and relatively unopened, but also have the principle of lobster cages that cannot find the entrance and exit once they enter. The bottle mouth and lid of their insect catcher are adhered up and down on the left and right sides, and are specially transformed into a spherical head-shaped structure. There is a small concave mouth on the wing where the structure connects to the bottle body. The color around the notch is very dark and light-transmitting. The structure and the bottle have many white or transparent markings that lack chlorophyll. The sunlight can enter the insect catcher bottle through these light white spots to make it very bright inside. Once the prey enters the insect-catching bottle from the notch, it will be confused by the bright white spots in front of you. You mistakenly think that the white spots are the outlet and get lost in the insect-catching bottle, and finally enter the digestive fluid and be digested.
(1) Close-up of the bottle mouth of the cobra bottle grass (2) Close-up of the bottle mouth of the parrot bottle grass (3) Inside the insect catcher bottle grass and cobra bottle grass, there are inward barbs inside to prevent prey from escaping
Parrot bottle grass even has the same principle as the genus Spiral Genliseah (Genliseah) that can't retreat after entering but can only move forward. Plants use bristles as a function similar to fine metal rods. Once the prey enters the trap, it can only move forward by pushing away the one-way inward bristles. If you retreat, you will be directly stuck by the direction of the bristles. You have to move forward and not backward until you enter the area where the digestive fluid is located. This is the same mechanism as the working principle of the pigeon catcher that can only enter but not exit.
There are only two species, Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) and raccoon algae (Aldrovanda vesiculosa), and two species, there are clip-shaped insect traps.The two shell-shaped clips are connected by the central channel, and are both highly specialized organs of the leaves. There are tactile hairs of the excitation mechanism on the inner surface of each clip. The bending of the tactile hair will cause the gated channel of the cell base of the tactile hair to open, thereby generating an action potential and conducting it to the central channel. The ions of the central channel cells pump out ions, causing the osmotic pressure in the cells to change or increase the acidity, causing the central channel cells to lose water and collapse and quickly close the clamp. The process time does not exceed 1 second. Then the more you struggle, the tighter you get. After the clip is closed for a certain period of time, the digestive fluid begins to be secreted, and then the prey is digested and utilized. Although the current study on the mechanism of opening and closing of clip-shaped insect traps is still not in-depth enough, it is certain that the opening and closing of clip-shaped leaves comes from changes in the morphology of the central cell.
Sensual hair of Venus flytrap
carnivorous plants, the cystic insect trap is unique to the plants of genus (Utricularia). The ion pump on the capsule insect trap will pump out the ions in the capsule, and the water inside is discharged due to the osmosis, causing a local vacuum in the capsule. The cystic insect trap has a small opening and closing cap, which has a pair of long tentacles. When prey, such as water daphniah ( Daphniah 9), touches these tentacles, its leverage effect deforms the cap. Because there is a partial vacuum in the capsule, the prey will be sucked into the capsule together with the surrounding liquid and will eventually be digested and absorbed.
Interestingly, experiments used larger and longer egg wire to trigger the cap, so that only part of the egg wire was sucked in. It was observed that for a considerable period of time, the part outside the capsule was slowly inhaled into the insect trap. This shows that the mechanism of the local vacuum generated by the cyst-like insect trap has been operating all the time, even if the prey has been captured, this may be an adaptability of the cyst-like insect trap to capture larger prey.
The raccoon algae insect sac under the mirror
The raccoon algae insect sac under the mirror
The surface "leaf", underground insect trap and flowers on the ground
Source: Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
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