There can be no question as to which is the most spectacular of
all the carnivorous plants - the Venus flytrap. Related to the
‘Sundews’, it is the only species within this family that has
evolved such an elaborate trapping mechanism. It has narrow,
green leaves that are formed into the shape of a rosette that
extend from the base of the plant. Each leaf is prolonged into
two reddish, kidney shaped lobes that are hinged on either side
of a mid-rib. The outer margin of each lobe is fringed by a line
of spikes and just beneath them is a band of nectar glands. If
you look closely you can also see a few isolated hairs on each
lobe – these are the triggers that are waiting to set the trap!
An insect that is attracted to the nectar can move around the
upper surface of the lobe with absolute impunity – in fact
‘knocking' into one of these trigger hairs will cause the plant
to do precisely nothing! However, if the creature touches the
same or another hair in the lobe within a 20 second timescale,
the trap will shut w