India’s only pitcher plant species Nepenthes khasiana is facing threats from mining, shifting cultivation and excessive collection. High up in the majestic hills of India’s northeastern state of Meghalaya lies an elusive and unusual carnivore: a pitcher plant.
Where are Nepenthes found?
Nepenthes, also called tropical pitcher plant or monkey cup, genus of carnivorous pitcher plants that make up the only genus in the family Nepenthaceae (order Caryophyllales). About 140 species are known, mostly native to Madagascar, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
Where does Nepenthes plant grow?
The family Nepenthaceae consists of a single genus, Nepenthes, with some 140 species of tropical pitcher plants native to Madagascar, Southeast Asia, and Australia. Most of these species are perennials that grow in very acidic soil, though some are epiphytic and live on the branches of trees.
How do Nepenthes eat?
The paleotropic genus Nepenthes comprises approximately 90 species of carnivorous plants,1 all of which use highly specialized pitcher-shaped leaves to capture mainly insect prey. The bottom part of each pitcher is filled with a digestive fluid in which the captured prey drowns and subsequently decomposes.
Where do you hang a pitcher plant?
Hanging pitcher plants thrive in light, well-draining soil that’s poor in nutrients but high in organic matter. This can be sphagnum moss, coconut fiber, or a store-bought orchid mix. Pitcher plants need high humidity – water frequently from above, and mist daily. Hang your basket somewhere it can receive full sun.
What is Nepenthes plant used for?
The leaf and root are used as medicine. Pitcher plant is taken by mouth for digestive disorders, particularly constipation; for urinary tract diseases and fluid retention; as a cure for smallpox; and to prevent scar formation.
Who discovered Nepenthes?
Nepenthes attenboroughii was discovered by Alastair Robinson, Stewart R. McPherson and Volker B. Heinrich in June 2007, during a 2 month research expedition to catalogue the different species of pitcher plant found across the Philippine Archipelago.
Can a pitcher plant eat a human?
No. Carnivorous plants are not dangerous to humans to any extent. They are capable of eating insects and small mammals like frogs and rodents. Some will even eat tiny bits of human flesh if we feed it to them.
Where is pitcher plant found in India?
Found mainly in the state of Meghalaya, India’s only pitcher plant species Nepenthes khasiana is endangered, facing threats from mining, shifting cultivation, and excessive collection, among others. N. khasiana is distributed in the Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills.
Is Venus flytrap found in India?
Venus flytraps do not grow naturally in India. Venus flytraps are native to only a small region in the United States. Venus flytraps grow natively in North Carolina and South Carolina on the East coast of the United States.
Where insectivorous plants are found in India?
Drosera and Aldrovanda
Drosera or Sundew inhabit wet infertile soils or marshy places. Aldrovanda is a free-floating, rootless aquatic plant, the only species found in India, occurs in the salt marshes of Sunderbans, south of Calcutta. It also grows in fresh water bodies like ponds, tanks and lakes.
What is another name of pitcher plant?
A pitcher plant is a carnivorous plant (also called as Insectivorous plant). Carnivorous plants are plants that eat insects and other small animals.
Where is Venus flytrap found?
The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a carnivorous plant native to subtropical wetlands on the East Coast of the United States in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Which is largest carnivorous plant?
Endemic to Borneo, the giant montane pitcher plant (Nepenthes rajah) is the largest carnivorous plant in the world. Its urn-shaped traps grow up to 41 centimetres tall with a pitcher capable of holding 3.5 litres of water.
Is Nepenthes a insectivorous plant?
Nepenthes (Insectivorous pitcher plant): – Nepenthes is a genus of carnivorous plant. It is also called a tropical pitcher plant or monkey cup. – This genus comprises 170 species.
Are Nepenthes poisonous?
The largest of the pitcher plants is known as Nepenthes, and this plant does capture small vermin and lizards in its pitchers (or cupped leaves). … The pitcher plant creates a substance that coats the inside of its pitchers.
Can you drink pitcher plant water?
Pitcher plant water is safe to drink as it poses no harm to humans. Pitcher plant water is made up of a mixture of rainwater and digestive substances produced by the plant. … Before owning a Pitcher plant, I did tons of research to learn about their care and if they were safe to grow at home.
Can Nepenthes be rooted in water?
This method of rooting Nepenthes cuttings is simple: Make cuttings, place them in water, keep the humidity high, change the water regularly, and wait. Some Nepenthes such as N. x ventrata has a very high success rate, ~90%, while some others have lower rate around 70-80%.
Can pitcher plants be in direct sunlight?
Outdoor specimens live in slightly acidic soils. Pitcher plants must be kept wet and can even grow in water gardens. The plants need boggy, moist soil and will perform well at the margins of a pond or bog garden. Pitcher plants thrive in full sun to light shade.
How do you grow Nepenthes indoors?
Growing Nepenthes indoors is very possible. You can grow them in a terrarium or a mini hot house that you keep inside the house. Apart from terrariums and greenhouses, you can place the plants on a windowsill. To grow your Nepenthes on a windowsill, you will need to make sure there is enough bright light.