Species of Pitcher Plants

Pitcher Plant Methods

• The pitcher that pitcher plants use to trap insects and small frogs and mammals is usually a form of modified leaves. Over time, the leaves went from being cupped, overlapping structures to fused cups that trap water to drown their prey. They also developed digestive enzymes that they exude into the pitcher. In an unusual adaptation, these carnivorous plants absorb nutrients through their leaves as well as through their roots. In addition, the plants developed slippery sides and hairs that point downwards, making it difficult for trapped creatures to climb out of the pitcher.

Family Heliamphora

• There are seven species in the family Sarranceniaceae that are carnivorous pitcher plants. Called "Sun Pitcher" or "Marsh Pitcher" plants, they live in South America, primarily in elevated bogs in Venezuela and near the border in Brazil and Guyana. There are 18 species of pitcher plants in this family. Some of the species that live in Venezuela only are Heliamphora chimantensis, Heliamphora ciliata, Heliamphora elongata, Heliamphora exappendiculata, Heliamphora folliculata, Heliamphora huberi, Heliamphora ionasi and Heliamphora macdonaldae. A few species live in the border regions between Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela including Heliamphora nutans, Heliamphora neblinae and Heliamphora heterodoxa.

Family Sarraceniaceae

• Family Sarraceniaceae are found from central Canada down through the east coast of the United States and consist of 10 species of plants. Some species in the family Sarraceniaceae are Sarracenia alata, Sarracenia flava, Sarracenia leucophylla, Sarracenia minor, Sarracenia psittacina, Sarracenia purpurea, Sarracenia rosea and Sarracenia rubra. Sarracenia purpurea has a purple to scarlet exterior and veins against a pale green to yellow interior. Sarraceniaceae purpurea has been known to even capture birds and frogs in its cup. While flies rarely escape from the pitcher plant due to its slippery sides and downward pointing hairs, mosquito larvae can actually survive in the digestive juices and adult mosquitoes are able to escape due to their ability to hover and fly straight up in the air avoiding the sides of the cup.

Genus Nepenthes and Genus Cephalotus

• Genus Nepenthes and genus Cephalotus grow in the Asian Pacific zones. Genus Cephalotus is the smallest group of pitcher plants with only one species of pitcher plant Cephalotus follicularis that is found in Australian wetlands. The Nepenthes genus contains the largest number of pitcher plants of around 90 species. A few species that are found in the Pacific tropics includes Nepenthes albo-marginata, a white edged variety; Nepenthes gracilis, a tall slender pitcher plant; Nepenthes sanguinea, a red pitchered variety; Nepenthes madagascariensis, which is found in Madagascar; Nepenthes papuana, found in Papua New Guinea; and Nepenthes philippinens, discovered in the Philippines. There are many more species of this genus and more are likely to be found.