The Chomping Plant

Food...need...FOOD!

The environmental conditions(microclimate) of a particular area, even if really small, is likely to differ from that of the area around it. This may not be noticeable at first glance, because these changes can be deceptively "invisible" to us. "Animal devouring" plants, for instance, often grow in soil that is somewhat deficient in the nutrients it needs. So how's it going to meet its nutritional needs and live to see another day?

*Light bulb moment*

So now, some plants have devised ingenious ways to trap and even lure animals within reach and then... CHOMP CHOMP!

The Nepenthes Plant

Known in Malay as the 'peruk kera' which means monkey's cooking pot. Unfortunately, the reason for this interesting name, we're not sure of as yet. But, apparently F.W. Burbidge had found the Spectral tarsier (Tarsius spectrum) raiding the Nepenthes rafflesiana, clearly its version of a cookie jar, looking for yummy-licious insects. The Spectral tarsier is a primate, so maybe that's where the plant got its name from?

Spectral tarsier (Adapted from this website, on 11 February 2010)

Cute ain't he? :)

Tropical pitcher plant, possibly Nepenthes rafflesiana

The Nepenthes is a vine. Here its climbing up a coconut tree.

Flowers of the Tropical pitcher plant, possibly Nepenthes rafflesiana


Tropical pitcher plant, possibly Nepenthes rafflesiana


Apparently Nepenthes plants usually bear 2 or even 3 types of pitchers. But this plant only had one type of pitcher-unfortunately for us nosy individuals. The lid of the pitcher, as can be seen above, is not used to help trap the animal inside. While it's called a lid, which implies that it can fully cover the pitcher, the lid can't actually move and as such usually doesn't completely cover the pitcher. So it's basically stuck in that position so that the pitcher doesn't end up filling up with water when it rains, as it often does in Southeast asia, where most of the pitcher plants from the Nepenthes genus are found.

The plant doesn't just simply wait for some random animal to happen to fall in. The whole pitcher is specifically designed to lure the animal to its demise. Firstly, the pitcher produces nectar close to the opening of the pitcher. Unsuspecting prey thinking to get a free meal move in to collect their sweet prize, only to end up slipping on the waxy inner surface of the pitcher and falling straight in. They end up drowning in the digestive fluid, the very fluid that then slowly "eats" away at the animal.

The whole situation gets even more complex. It isn't only the digestive fluid that helps to break down the animal. There are also micro-organisms living in this highly acidic environment that join in the feast.

And that's the end... of the animal (imagine evil laughter) ;)

Reference

Shivas, R. G. (1984). Pitcher Plants of Penisular Malaysia & Singapore. Singapore: Maruzen Asia Pte Ltd.

Slack, A. (1981). Carnivorous Plants. Great Britain: The MIT Press.