Carnivorous Plants Could Be In Your Backyard

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Although man-eating plants have been long debunked, carnivorous plants do exist. The most famous are the venus fly traps, but others include the pitcher plant and bromeliads. These plants eat insects in order to make up for nutrient deficiencies.

We would think that plants either eat insects or not. However, researchers believe this should be a sliding scale of carnivorous-ness. For example, petunias and potatoes have sticky hairs that catch insects, but do not digest them. They suggest that murderous plants are much more common and might digest the breakdown of their victims.

Wiley-Blackwell (2009, December 5). 'Killer petunias' should join the ranks of carnivorous plants, scientists propose. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091204103747.htm