Carnivorous Plants Most plants gather nutrients directly from the soil, but some plants can survive in low-nutrient habitats. Carnivorous plants live in areas with abundant sun and water, but with low levels of vital nitrogen in the soil. They have an incredible adaptation: the ability to trap and digest insects and small animals. Their leaves attract insects with bright colors and sweet nectar, once the insects arrive, the plants trap them in several ways:

Pitfall traps, such as Adhesive traps, such as pitcher plants, trap sundews, have leaves with things in deep slippery glands on the ends of pools filled with stalks that have a sticky digestive enzymes. substance to grab small Photo: Damon Collingsworth Damon Photo: Photo: Damon Collingsworth Damon Photo: insects.

Snap traps, such as Suction traps, such as the Venus flytrap, have bladderworts, have empty leaves that snap shut bladders covered by trap when trigger hairs are doors. When an insect

touched more than CollingsworthDamon touches the door, they are sucked into the bladder once. Photo: and digested. Utech Janet Photo: Photo: Damon Collingsworth Damon Photo: Photo: Blair Bazdarich Blair Photo: Photo: Damon Collingsworth Damon Photo:

Tropical pitcher plant Butterwort Sundew Bladderwort Damon Photo: Collingsworth Nepenthes species Pinguicula species Drosera species Utricularia species

For more information on carnivorous plants, visit: www.californiacarnivores.com PLANTS Photo: Janet Utech Janet Photo: Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo:

Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo: Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo:

Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo:

Photo: Janet Utech Janet Photo: Photo: Janet Utech Janet Photo:

Reed palm Lady palm Kentia palm Orchids Various species Chamaedorea seifrizii Rhapis excelsa Howea forsterana Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo: Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo:

Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo: Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo: Utech Janet Photo:

Leather leaf fern Mother fern Bronze anthurium Utech Janet Photo: Utech Janet Photo: Rumohra adiantiformis Asplenium bulbiferum Anthurium superbum Bromeliad Various species Aerial Roots Roots that form above ground are called “aerial roots” and have many important functions to help plants survive. If you look closely, you’ll be able to see several examples of aerial roots inside this building. On woody trees and vines, such as the one pictured to the right, they can function as supports, helping to anchor the plant. Other aerial roots can help absorb moisture and nutrients. This allows plants, such as orchids, to live off of the forest floor on other plants and away from the fierce competition for space and sunlight. Some plants that live in wet marshes and bogs have underground roots but they need aerial roots to help with air exchange. Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo:

Photo: Janet Utech Janet Photo: Aerial root of orchid Variegated sweet flag Acorus gramineus ‘Variegatus’ Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo: Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo: Photo: Janet Utech Janet Photo:

Strangler fig (repilca) Tillandsia Aerial root of ficus alii Photo: Janet Utech Janet Photo:

Dendrobium species PLANTS Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo:

Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo: Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo: Utech Janet Photo:

Swiss cheese plant Split-leaf philodendron Brazilian snow Variegated corn plant Monstera adansonii Monstera selloum Ctenanthe lubbersiana Dracaena fragrans Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo:

Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo: Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo: Photo: Marianne Hale Marianne Photo:

Ficus tree Ficus Triangle ficus Rubber tree Ficus benjamina Ficus alii Ficus triangularis ficus elastica tricolor