Carnivory in Brocchinia

Demetrio Lamzaki (Dee_Lamzaki@msn.com)
Sat, 17 Feb 96 21:53:36 UT

>Now, do these plants actually secrete digestive enzymes like Sarrs and
>VFTs?

Hi Rand,

As far as I know none has been found that does so yet. But since all species
save one in Heliamphora don't, and Darlingtonia doesn't either, that's not
unheard of in CP. I think a great case for B. reducta being carnivorous was
made in Adrian Slack's book "Insect Eating Plants and How to Grow Them", for
those who haven't read it I'll quote the book:

"B. reducta grows in the Guayana Highlands in South-east Venezuela and
adjacent Guyana, where it favours sterile, highly acid, sandy soils in bogs
and wet savannahs. The narrow upright leaves are bright yellowish green,
around 33 cm (13 inches) high. They are held tightly together in a
cylindrical rosette, the lower part of the cylinder forming the vase in which
rainwater collects. As in Sarracenia flava the bright coloration is likely to
prove an advertisement to flying nectar-seekers, as is the strong scent of
honey given off by a substance released into the water by glands in the leaf
bases. But this is a case of flagrant deception, for visitors entering the
cylinder will find none. The inner surface of the leaves on which they find
themselves is covered with wax which breaks off easily, giving an unsound
foothold. A high proportion of such creatures are thus precipitated down into
the water tank, where they drown. As in Darlingtonia and Heliamphora there
are no digestive glands, the soft parts of the bodies being broken down by
bacteria. The leaf bases are scattered with microscopic gland-like structures
called trichomes, and these absorb the resulting nutrients into the plant's
system."

Boy, would I love to have one of these plants! I think it passes the
carnivorous test.

Regards,

Demetrios