Posted on 07/21/2009 10:52:41 PM PDT by JoeProBono
The origin of the voracious Venus flytrap has been uncovered. The flytrap, and one other carnivorous snap-trap plant which grows underwater, evolved from a more conventional relative that had sticky leaves. Over time, the plants added elaborate structures and weapons such as trigger hairs and teeth to trap and immobilise their meaty prey, botanists say.
Ultimately, the need to hunt and eat ever larger animals drove the plants' evolution, say the scientists. Carnivorous plants come in many forms, and are known to have independently evolved at least six separate times. The Venus flytrap acts like an animal, it moves fast and eats fresh meat Botanist Don Waller For example, pitcher plants create tube-like leaf structures into which insects tumble and become trapped, while other plants have sticky surfaces that act like flypaper. But among all these plants, two species stand out: the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) and the waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa). Both are known as snap-traps because they actively hunt animals, snapping shut specially adapted leaves to trap any hapless creature that crosses them. The Venus flytrap closes around an insect in just 0.3s or faster, while the waterwheel use thin translucent traps to snare copepods and other aquatic invertebrates.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Oh for crying out loud... Everyone knows he was from WKRP.
Wow! The plants added those? Did they design these weapons and structures on their own, or did they hire an outside contractor?
Is that a Chinese copy AK-47 with suppressor? And what’s the powder horn for?
I’m sure glad the Venus Flytraps only came up with the “chomping leaf” thing instead of, you know, firearms...
You better not be talkin' about my mama.
That has got to be one of the least scientific articles that I have ever read. It’s just bullshit. BBC Bump.
:)
I was waiting for the Rudyard Kipling closing, “And that’s how we got the venus fly trap.”
Wow. There must be a lot of flies around there. How come the fly hasn’t evolved a defense, or even the sense to stay away from these horrid plants?
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