A staple of any cheesy movie set in the jungle is the scene where somebody falls victim to the enormous, man-eating plant. Obviously this scene is impossible, plants are still nowhere near the point of hunting or eating people, but its inspirations are as real as they are fascinating. Carnivorous plants, parasitic plants, and other violent flora are found on most continents, and by now have been fairly well documented. Here are some of the coolest.
Cape Sundew
Mostly insects, but can be “fed” larger prey such as very small tadpoles.
Sustenance.
Secretes succulent-looking droplets from the tendrils on its leaves which attract insects. Once the prey has landed for a drink, the sticky nature of the secretions immobilizes it while the tendrils and leaves curl up around it and digest.
— The impressive colors and the unique nature of the sundew’s feeding system make it appealing to both the eye and to the sense of imagination. As such, it is one of the most commonly cultivated carnivorous plants around. A tropical plant, originally sprouting in the Cape area of South Africa, this sundew appreciates warm temperatures, high humidity, and plenty of fresh insect life. Given its tendency to retain leaves and old branches, the plant can become quite woody and cluttered looking over time without constant attention.
Splendid Pitcher Plant
Insects, very small frogs, reptiles, or mammals (only the largest pitchers can trap and digest food larger than big insects).
Sustenance.
Lures insects to the rim of the pitcher with bright colors and a sweet smelling nectar. Both the rim and the inside of the pitcher are very slick, and once an insect has fallen into the depths of the plant it is digested by the enzymes within.
— The splendid pitcher plant is generally considered the largest and most attractive of the Nepenthaceae family, or “Old World” pitcher plants. Like most Old World pitchers, it is a climbing plant which uses surrounding trees and shrubbery for support and then sprouts a series of hanging pitchers from its foundation. Unfortunately, its conservation status is now at vulnerable owing mainly to the El Nino disaster of ’98 and ’99 and the dry-spell that followed it. When in the wild, it is not uncommon to find a splendid pitcher providing a home for a forest creature, despite the corrosive enzymes in the water. Most notably, a spider in the forests of Borneo has learned that by hiding inside the pitcher it can simply wait for insects to be lured and detained and then remove them from the water and chow down. The largest animal ever recorded living in one of these pitcher plants is a small crab.
Butterwort
Small insects.
Sustenance.
Has extremely sticky, fly-paper leaves. Any insect that sets foot on the plant is cemented in place where it struggles to free itself and, in the course of its wriggling, covers its entire body in the mucilagenous secretions. After it has died, the insect’s nutrients are slowly absorbed by the enzymes secreted by the leaves.
— Butterwort is another commonly cultivated carnivorous plant. The ease with which it can be grown, and the very visual nature of its hunting habits make it one of the more popular starting plants for carnivorous plant enthusiasts. Butterworts generally grow in nutrient poor, alkaline soils, getting most of their nourishment from their prey. In the past, butterwort has been used to curdle milk and speed the healing of livestock wounds. The natural insecticide in butterwort helped keep the wounds clean.
Black Walnut
Any susceptible plant-life in a certain area.
Elimination of competition.
Roots secrete a deadly poison into the soil which kills or cripples much of the plant life in a close proximity.
— The black walnut tree is a devious killer. Its innocuous-sounding name and its appearance as just another pretty nut tree make it seem like an innocent addition to the landscape. Underneath the soil, however, it is much more vicious. The natural toxin, juglone, is produced by the leaves, nut husks, and especially the roots of the black walnut tree and inhibits many of the enzymes required by most plants for the metabolic process. Despite its herbicidal tendencies, the black walnut is still commonly cultivated for its nuts, its strong, beautiful wood, and the juglone which is used as a natural food coloring. Just don’t plant it too close to the garden:
Great Dodder
Healthy, vital host plants.
Sustenance and support.
Grows up the length of a host-plant’s stem. Once it reaches a certain point, inserts small needles into the stem of the host and starts draining nutrients and water.
— Great dodder, also known as European dodder, is a parasitic plant that grows widely throughout temperate to tropical climates. The plant begins its life as most other climbing plants do: rising from the soil, finding a stable base, and then using almost all of its energy for rapid climbing. After a certain point, however, the plant differentiates itself from other vines by shedding its roots and injecting several appendages into the body of its host. These appendages then suck from the host any valuable food or water that they can reach. Dodder can grow quickly and, in some areas, almost continuously, allowing it reach up to the very tops of the canopy in some cases.
Venus Flytrap
Insects, mostly winged.
Sustenance.
Lures prey into “mouth” with bright colors and appearance of moisture. Once the prey lands, the plant snaps shut very quickly and digests it by secreting enzymes.
— The Venus Flytrap is one of only a few plants capable of rapid movement. Despite its reputation as being difficult to grow (it naturally grows in extremely acidic swamps and bogs), the flytrap is probably the most commonly cultivated carnivorous plant due to the popularity of its hunting system. The feeding/digesting process can be easily triggered simply by dropping a small bug into the mouth of the plant and the resulting jump is always a crowd pleaser.
Kudzu
Everything and everyone in the world.
Just wants to grow.
Attacks with sheer strength of numbers. Like a zombie horde, the plant just grows and grows until everything is overwhelmed.
— Kudzu, also known as the vine that ate the south, is famous for being one of the fastest growing plants in the United States. Originally a Japanese plant, it was brought to America as an ornamental and forage plant. It’s growth was encouraged for some time until it was realized that the southern United States is absolutely perfect for growing Kudzu and, as such, the plant had begun to spread out of control. Estimated by some to grow up to three feet in a twenty four hour period, it soon enveloped fields, barns, houses, and anything else in its path. Indeed, the prominent lump in the picture above is a house that was completely overrun by kudzu. These days it is considered a nuisance by almost everyone and its cost, in terms of lost crop-land and removal expenses, is now estimated at nearly 500 million dollars a year in the U.S.
Mistletoe
Strong, healthy trees or shrubs.
Sustenance and support.
Attaches to healthy host tree via bird droppings and then absorbs water and mineral nutrients.
— Mistletoe, the same mistletoe that famously encourages holiday intimacy, is, in reality, a fairly toxic parasite with an interesting method of spreading its seeds. After the berries of the plant are eaten by birds, the seeds resist digestion and are eventually “deposited” in another tree or shrub. At this point the plant begins to grow, slowly at first, living off the nutrients in the bird’s droppings. Once it reaches a certain level of maturity, the plant then attaches to, and begins draining water and nutrients from, its host. As mistletoe has leaves and chlorophyll it is capable of at least rudimentary photosynthesis and therefore relies on its host mainly for water and mineral nutrients. While a small infestation of mistletoe can only harm growth of its host, a large infestation can easily kill a healthy tree.
Corpse Flower
Nearby, healthy stems and vines.
Sustenance.
Grows root-like tendrils that grow into the tissue of surrounding vines and absorb nutrients and water.
— The charmingly titled “corpse flower” is utterly dependent on the nutrients of others. With no leaves, stem, or roots of its own, it instead grows many tendrils which search for and then invade the bodies of other, nearby plant-life. Originally discovered in Indonesia, it is found throughout southeastern Asia, including Borneo, Sumatra, and the Philippines. Locals refer to it as corpse flower because it emits a horrible odor which many equate to that of rotting meat. It is believed that this smell attracts insects which help with pollination. Under the right conditions, these fragrant flowers can grow to startling sizes.
Sandbox Tree
None really.
Spreading of seeds.
Exploding seed pods. Seriously.
Becomes
— The sandbox tree is possibly the most intimidating plant known to man. Boasting toxic bark, enormous stiff thorns, and seed pods that explode with sufficient force to injure people or livestock below, it is certainly a violent specimen. It is not, however, a malicious one. While all of the other plants on this list go out of their way to cause harm to other organisms, the sandbox tree simply tries to spread its seeds and, in the process, catches the rest of the forest in its crossfire, which has been known to reach 100 meters from the tree. It is native to tropical areas of North and South America and, despite the obvious drawbacks, is occasionally grown purposefully for shade.
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6 Comments on "When Flowers, Seeds, or Roots Attack"
Amazing picss……………….. got toooooooooooooooo gud.
Amazing picss……………….. got toooooooooooooooo gud.
+1
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