It's Friday again. Time for another discussion of the origin
of CPs.
I have noticed that many CPs have hairs, either downward pointing
into a trap, or on the outside covered with dew, or as a trigger
hair (in the case of VFTs).
Could it be that CPs had the same origins as members of the
cactus family? Before the desertification of the earth began,
the desert areas we now know were once jungle, subtropical, or
savannah.
Case in point. Look at the Mojave desert and the Joshua trees there.
Joshua trees appear to be very tropical. And, if you imagine as
you stand looking at them, you can see how the forest of Joshua
trees looks much like the remnants of a rain forest.
Science has proved that cacti and succulents are what was left of the
tropics when the water disappeared. These plants were originally tropical
and they adapted to the harsh conditions of arid regions.
Same thing goes for CPs. CPs may be a remnant of different tropical plants
that adapted and survived. The ones in the tropics evolved differently
than the ones in temperate regions. The ones in the temperate regions
adapted to new climatic conditions when the jungles receded after the
time of continental breakup, climate change, and polar shift...probably
caused by Nemesis or some celestial event. Same thing with the cacti
and succulents. Some plants evolved to survive in the desert when the
climate shifted, and did not need to eat insects...just save water.
Others adapted to eat insects where water was more plentiful but the
soil conditions were not so good. CPs all have a common equation...
water + poor soil = eat insects. CP, Cacti, and Succulents all developed
hair at some point. So, they probably all had a common hairy ancestor.
The hair on cacti fend off creatures. The hair on CP help catch creatures.
So, the lack of water caused cacti to use hair to protect. The abundance
of water caused CP to use hair to hunt. Many cacti and succulents have
the same growth patterns as CPs...clumping or running.
*****warning. warning. Incredulous information follows.*************
Cacti, Succulents, and CP all have an alien look to them. When Nemesis
smashed through our solar system, the fertile surface of the moon and mars
was ripped away and collided with the earth. Large tracts of alien landscape,
replete with alien plants, landed intact in different regions of the
earth, carrying with them CPs, cacti, and succulents. The CPs were probably
from the moon, as they required more heat and light. The cacti and succulents
were probably from Mars, as Mars, even today, is colder and dryer.
*****Incredulous informtation now complete*********************
A theory? Yes! And it could have happened! Gee, maybe I should try for
a new career in the National Enquirer!
Anyway, I'd like to hear your comments on the evolutionary similarity
between CPs, cacti, and succulents.
---Steve