University:
California State University, Northridge
Course:
BIOL 407/L | Plant Ecology and Lab
Academic year:

2024
Views:

167

Pages:

2
Author:

ulbistasdeba3xr8

Because Sarracneia have to live in harsh, nutrient-poor environments, they have evolved alternate methods of obtaining nutrients other than typical root nutrient absorption. Sarracneia are carnivorous plants. They are commonly called the North American Pitcher Plants because they grow modified leaves that are in the shape of pitchers and tubes. They use these specialized leaves to attract, catch, kill, and digest insects and other small fauna. Prey is lured to the pitcher’s mouth with the use of bright coloration, nectar secretion, and sometimes scent production. Prey falls into the leaf is trapped inside. The plant’s leaf then secretes digestive enzymes that gather in a pool of liquid at the bottom of the pitcher. These enzymes digest the prey, breaking the prey items down into simple compounds. These compounds, the most important ones being those containing nitrogen and phosphorus, are then absorbed into the plant. The plant’s leaves also photosynthesize to make sugars, but it is those additional nutrients that the plant acquires from their carnivorous capabilities that are important. By evolving carnivory, Sarracneia are able to obtain nutrients that they cannot obtain directly from the soil (Schnell, 2002 and Siragusa et al, 2007). Sarracenia is a genus composed of about a dozen species that have multiple forms, varieties, and subspecies in addition to a large number of naturally occurring hybrids, all of which are carnivorous and perennial. Sarracenia are also currently popular in the carnivorous plant hobby. Many have been produced en masse via tissue culture, a method that takes plant tissue and creates new plant clones in laboratory conditions. The resulting clones are then grown and sold at garden stores and other commercial outlets. In the hobby, there have been a significant amount of hybrids, cultivars, and varieties grown and crossed that do not occur naturally in the wild. The hobby plays an important part in Sarracenia conservation, but is sometimes a controversial subject (Rice, 2006). Sarracenia go dormant in the winter and cease their vegetative growth. In spring, mature plants will flower and begin growing again. Flowers rely on bees as their main pollinators. Sarracenia have relatively complex flowers that prevent self fertilization. Once fertilized, the flower will produce a small dry fruit over the summer. In late fall the dry fruit will dehisce (split open) and drop seed. The seed overwinter and germinate the following spring. It takes a relatively long time, from three to five years, for a seedling to mature and be able to flower (Schnell, 2002).

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