Monday, December 03, 2012

Insectiverous Plants

Started Biochemistry yet? There's a link between the basic biochemistry of amino acids and this plant (Utricularia or bladderworts). This plant grows on nitrogen poor soils but it able to 'catch' and digest invertebrates in small traps at the base of the plant.  This particular plant was seen flowering in the flower fields of Nam Tok Suwan in the province of Ubon Ratchatani NE Thailand.The soil was waterlogged and obviously nitrogen poor. Obtaining nitrogen in this way allows the plant to colonise marginal soils where there is little in the way of nitrogen. That's the flower head of a grass caught in the petals of the main flower.