Carnivorous Pitcher Plants
by Venetia Featherstone-Witty
Title
Carnivorous Pitcher Plants
Artist
Venetia Featherstone-Witty
Medium
Photograph - Photographs
Description
Pitcher plants are several different carnivorous plants that have evolved modified leaves known as a pitfall traps a prey-trapping mechanism featuring a deep cavity filled with liquid.Foraging, flying or crawling insects such as flies are attracted to the cavity formed by the cupped leaf, often by visual lures such as anthocyanin pigments, and nectar bribes. The rim of the pitcher (peristome) is slippery, when moistened by condensation or nectar, causing insects to fall into the trap. Pitcher plants may also contain waxy scales, protruding aldehyde crystals, cuticular folds, downward pointing hairs, or guard-cell-originating lunate cells on the inside of the pitcher to ensure that insects cannot climb out.The small bodies of liquid contained within the pitcher traps are called phytotelmata. They drown the insect, and the body of it is gradually dissolved. This may occur by bacterial action (the bacteria being washed into the pitcher by rainfall) or by enzymes secreted by the plant itself. Furthermore, some pitcher plants contain mutualistic insect larvae, which feed on trapped prey, and whose excreta the plant absorbs.
FEATURED 10/29/14 "Images That Excite You"
FEATURED 10/27/14 "Beautiful Flowers"
FEATURED 10/26/14 "3 A Day Waiting Room Art"
FEATURED 1/13/15 in "The World We See"
FEATURED 2/7/15 in "The Artistic Forager"
FEATURED 7/29/15 in "The 200 Club"
FEATURED 8/5/15 in "T100 Showcase Featured Art"
FEATURED 10/18/15 in "Flowers Up Close"
FEATURED 12/2/15 in "500 Views"
FEATURED 12/6/15 in "Macro World"
FEATURED 12/7/15 in "Thoughts of Flowers"
FEATURED 1/13/17 in "The Most Beautiful Flowers"
FEATURED 1/3/22 in "10 Plus"
Uploaded
October 24th, 2014
Statistics
Viewed 2,451 Times - Last Visitor from Beverly Hills, CA on 03/18/2024 at 9:07 PM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
Comments (35)
Lisa Phillips
Your beautiful image has been featured in the FAA group "Thoughts of Flowers". http://fineartamerica.com/groups/thoughts-of-flowers.html
Barbie Corbett-Newmin
Congratulations on achieving over 500 views on this wonderful work and on your graduation from the 200 Club! I am proud to have featured it!
Venetia Featherstone-Witty replied:
Thank you Barbie for congratulating me on my graduation to 500 Views
Jacqueline Athmann
Surprise & Congratulations!! Your photo has been featured on Flowers Up Close group homepage! Thank you for sharing your beautiful work with us! F/L
Venetia Featherstone-Witty replied:
Thank you very much Jacqueline for the feature in "Flowers Up Close"
Emmy Vickers
I love this unique flower. Great up close capture Venetia. Love the colors and detail. L.
Charlotte Stevenson
this is an incredible capture. I have never seen a flower like this before. l/f
Venetia Featherstone-Witty replied:
Thank you Charlotte - I am happy to have introduced you to it. There are passionate growers, breeders and collectors of this species worldwide as they are truly unique.