 | The amazing structure of genlisea leaves: a cylindrical stem (A) is located after an onion portion (B) followed by another cylindrical stem (C), at the end of which is a fissured mouth (D). |
Genlisea
The trap of the genlisea resembles animal intestines. The roots that branch out under the ground are hollow swollen tubes. Water is pressured to seep into these tubes. Through the slits in the tubes, there is a flow towards the inside of the plant, which is triggered by little interior hairs. Insects and other small organisms float inside due to the flow of water. All the sections through which the flow passes are covered with bristly hairs that point downward. Along the way, the prey encounters a series of digestive glands, which act like a valve and form a second force pushing the insects into the plant. Finally, the captives become the food of the genlisea.51The Trap of the Bladderwort
The bladderwort is a sea plant commonly referred to in the scientific world as Utricularia.There are three kinds of gland in the trap of the bladderwort: first, the spherical glands located outside the trap; the others, the "four-pointed gland" and "two-pointed gland" are inside. The plant uses these glands as different phases of a trap.
First, the glands activate the extensions attached to them, which start pumping the water out. A very important void forms in the plant. At the mouth is a trap door that keeps water from coming inside. The hairs on this trap are very sensitive to touch. When an insect or organism touches these hairs, the trap opens immediately. Naturally, this creates a strong flow of water towards the inside of the bladderwort. The trap closes behind the prey in a flash. Immediately after this event, which takes place within one thousandth of a second, the digestive glands start releasing digestive secretions.52
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