1. Characteristics of Nepenthes’ Pitchers
Nepenthes’ roots are fibrous, black, brittle, and easily broken, and their number is small. Compared to other plants, the root system of Nepenthes is quite underdeveloped.
Nepenthes is a perennial vine with a woody or semi-woody stem, reaching approximately 3 meters in height, climbing trees or growing along the ground. Its leaves are generally oblong, with tendrils at the ends, facilitating climbing. At the end of the tendrils, a pitcher with a lid forms a bottle- or funnel-shaped trap. Nepenthes flowers only bloom after many years of growth. The flowers are usually in racemes, though a few are panicles. The plants are dioecious, small and bland, with a mild, slightly fragrant aroma during the day and a stronger, stinking aroma at night. Its ornamental value cannot be compared to that of the pitcher. The fruit is a capsule that dehisces upon maturity to release the seeds.
Nepenthes’ leaves are complexly structured, consisting of a petiole, a body, and tendrils. The tail of the tendril expands and curls back into a pitcher shape, which allows it to catch insects. Nepenthes have a racemose inflorescence with small green or purple flowers. The pitcher at the top of the leaves is a tool for catching insects. The double surface of the pitcher secretes a scent to attract insects. The smooth opening allows insects to slide into the pitcher, where they are drowned in the liquid secreted at the bottom, which then breaks down the insect’s nutrients and gradually digests and absorbs them. 2. How Nepenthes Catch Insects Nepenthes emits a fragrance at the opening of the pitcher, attracting insects. Once an insect falls into the pitcher, it drowns in the liquid and is slowly “digested” by the pitcher. Each Nepenthes pitcher plant is shaped like an elongated trumpet, appearing quite large. It has a green base covered in red hairs. Because of its reputed mosquito repellent properties, these “pitcher plants,” which cost just over ten yuan a pot in flower shops, are very popular, both for their aesthetic appeal and their mosquito-repelling properties. In fact, experts at the Zhongshan Botanical Garden explained that while pitcher plants can theoretically repel mosquitoes, their effectiveness is relatively weak. Furthermore, due to regional variations, they struggle to adapt to the local climate and are difficult to maintain.
3. How large are the pitcher plants’ insect traps?
It’s not a nationally protected species, but it is a rare and endangered species. It’s an insectivorous plant. “Nepenthes” is the collective name for all species of the genus Nepenthes. It’s a tropical insectivorous plant native primarily to the tropics of the Old World. Nepenthes possesses a unique nutrient-absorbing organ called the pitcher. The pitcher is cylindrical, slightly bulging at the bottom, and has a lid. Because it resembles a pig’s pitcher, it’s called a pitcher plant.
4. What are the characteristics of a Nepenthes pitcher’s pitcher?
1. Why does the second paragraph of “The Amazing Nepenthes” refer to the sac of this peculiar plant as a “beautiful trap”? Please briefly answer.
2. What are the characteristics of the Nepenthes pitcher’s insect trap?
3. Point out the specific meaning of the underlined words in the following sentences
(1). This is more conducive to the insect-catching function
(2). The clever pitcher plant will ask the next fool to say: “Please enter the trap.”
4. What inspiration did you get from the little bee’s experience?
The reference answer is as follows:
1. The capsule diffuses a rich fragrance and ripples with sweet honeydew, but once insects and other small animals crawl into the capsule, the small lid at the mouth of the capsule will close, and the small animals cannot escape, becoming the delicacy of “this strange plant”.
2. It is cylindrical, with an eggplant-shaped bulge in the lower half, shaped like a pig cage; the capsule has a lid and can be opened and closed freely.
3.(1). The insect-catching capsule is half filled with water (or: some of the water in the capsule is poured out).
(2). Insects that cannot resist the temptation and fall into the trap.
4. Example: (1). If we only covet immediate benefits, we will be like the little bee, drinking poison to quench its thirst.
(2). When the exquisite cup filled with fragrant nectar sways in front of us, we must first learn to curb our greed.
(3) If we curb our greed, we will have a pair of wise eyes and a clear mind, and no temptation can do anything to us.
5. What is the insect trap of the Nepenthes?
The Nepenthes has a unique organ for absorbing nutrients – the insect trap. The insect trap is cylindrical, slightly bulging at the bottom, and has a lid on the mouth.
Because it looks like a pig’s cage, it is called the Nepenthes. In Hainan, China, it is also called the Leigonghu, which means it looks like a wine pot. Because the soil in its native habitat is poor, the Nepenthes supplements its nutrition by catching insects and other small animals, so it is a member of the carnivorous plant family. 6. Do you like the pitcher plant’s insect trap? 1. Insects. 2. The pitcher plant is a carnivorous plant with numerous traps on its leaves that capture insects for food. The leaves are covered in a layer of mucus, which traps insects once trapped, preventing them from escaping and allowing them to be digested and absorbed as nutrients. 3. The supply is limited. Without sufficient insects in the environment, they may not receive adequate nutrition, which can affect their growth and development. 7. Image of the inside of the pitcher plant’s insect trap. The pitcher plant has a unique nutrient-absorbing organ—the insect trap. This trap is cylindrical with a slightly bulging lower portion. Because it resembles a pig’s pitcher, it’s called a “pitcher plant.” It’s neither red nor green, and the nectar at the mouth of the pitcher is very tempting. Plants that rely on catching insects and other small animals for growth are called “carnivorous plants.” 8. What are the characteristics of a pitcher plant’s insect-catching pitcher? The reason for this insect-catching Nepenthes’s formation is that the pitcher plant secretes a liquid that smells like rotting meat, attracting small insects. But don’t underestimate the life within the liquid. In the rainforest, one species of pitcher plant harbors spiders that don’t slip into the pitcher, and tadpoles and crabs live within the liquid. This is a famous tropical carnivorous plant, primarily found in tropical Asia. The pitcher plant possesses a unique nutrient-absorbing organ—the insect sac. 9. Nepenthes Catching Insects When insects are attracted to the sweet mucus within the sac, the lid automatically closes, and the pitcher plant uses the sac’s digestive fluids to drown the insects, breaking down the insect’s nutrients and slowly digesting them for its own nourishment.
10. What are the actual pitchers of Nepenthes?
Nepenthes × cantleyi is a natural hybrid between Nepenthes bicalcarata (N. bicalcarata) and Nepenthes gracilis (N. gracilis). Although its parent species are widespread in Borneo, it is extremely rare outside of Brunei.
The pitchers of N. cantleyi are very similar in morphology to those of N. bicalcarata, but the peristome is closer to that of N. gracilis. The two tooth-like appendages characteristic of N. bicalcarata are greatly reduced, leaving only a pair of smaller protrusions. This hybrid has a growth habit similar to that of N. gracilis, growing along the ground. It grows in open sandy areas. The acidity of the digestive fluid within the pitcher is similar to that of the small pitcher plant, with a pH as low as 1.82.
11. Characteristics and Functions of Nepenthes’ Pitcher Pitchers
The Venus flytrap is preferred because its digestion time is relatively long and it is difficult to maintain. The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), also known as the Venus flytrap in English, is a perennial herb native to North America and a very interesting insectivorous plant. It has a short stem and a “shell-like” claw at the tip of its leaves. It secretes nectar, which allows it to quickly capture and digest insects that enter. Nepenthes is the general name for all species of the genus Nepenthes. It is a tropical carnivorous plant native primarily to the tropical regions of the Old World. It possesses a unique nutrient-absorbing organ called the pitcher. The pitcher is cylindrical, slightly bulging at the bottom, and has a lid over the mouth, earning its name from its piggy-like shape.