VORACIOUS PLANTS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1682, 25 May 1904, Page 81 (Supplement)

VORACIOUS PLANTS

(By a Banker.)

', The vegetable kingdom is ordinarily associated with the idea that all its members, with the exception of a few parasitic plants, derive their sole sustenance froxa the earth and from the atmosphere. -• A considerable, number of plants, however, are carnivorous, and require a diet of animal food, literally devouring any A living creatures of appropriate size which comes -within the reach of their tentacles or other weapons of capture. The most common) though not the most ' notable, of these flesh-eating plants is the. - humble sun-dew of the marshes, a diminutive plant with circular leaves, from 'each of which project a number of prehenmie.•tentacles. If a small fly or gnat ; settles;, on these j - ; leaves, the. tentacles sharply • close upon it the pores then A rapidly absorbing the greater portion of A.the slaughtered insect, the refuse being • thrown out. If an artificial fly be offer- ; - e d to the plant, by some unexplained i mearis ft detects the fraud and makes not the - slightest: movement to ‘ capture the Smalt pieces of meat, howV ever,. are read!ly devoured. A-M- v' ■ AThe trumpet flower; a native of North America, bd another sample of these car- ' niVorous plapts.-; The mode of capture is , however altogether different, the interior ; 'surface of" the flower—really, however, a 1 ■ leaf—being provided with honey glands ; which : attract' the . insects, which,, half stupified by . the liquid, are then entangled j among a network of hairy spikes, and are j soon devoured at leisure; ' The most notahle.and marvellous, how- j ever, of these, flesh-eating plants is the beautiful', pitcher plant of the tropics. This strange specimen of the floral world bears a . remarkably handsome pendent flower,, several: inches in length, shaped' • exactly like an ordinary, pitcher, with a lid automatically opening and closing, 'and provided, in some species, with rows of sharp spines projecting from the inner surface of the lid. The glands of the • flower continuously secrete a sweet liquid, , which, accumulates at the bottom of the j pitcher. Its inner surface is so smooth that it is impossible for an imprisoned insect to secure a foothold. Many various genera appear to be the prey of these voracious plants; even birds, it is stated, having been known to fall a prey to their greedy appetites.

The unwary victim, attracted by the delicious sweetness of the aroma of the luscious nectar in the manyhued receptacle rashly ventures into the deadly trap, ana soon is entangled in the pleasures of the honied, intoxicating repast. And, now, satiated and drowsy, it essays to quit the lethal chamber. But too late; the lid lias closed tightly down, the sharp Spiny thorns are fixed in position to bar any egress, and the poor crapulous dissolute, now hopelessly inebriated, sinks down helpless into the deadly fluid, and is soon absorbed by the beautiful devourer.

And how often do many imitate ‘lie example of that silly butterfly or moth, and in the pursuit of fancied pleasures which have gripped them tight in their fascinations, find,that they are irnrersed in the waters of despair. But lie who came to redeem them, by taking upon Himself the punishment due to them, will if they cry unto Him for help, not only rescue tlieiji from the cruel fetters of their sins, but will give them the inestimable boon of eternal life.