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Pitcher Plants - Sarracenia


Pitcher Plants - Sarracenia
Photo Information
Copyright: Agoes SK (wieyos) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1115 W: 43 N: 2153] (9006)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-09-21
Categories: Nature
Camera: Pentax K20D, Pentax DA 50-200mm 4-5.6 ED
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/90 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-09-25 23:37
Viewed: 382
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi Folks,

Posted here is an image of two pitcher plants of a Sarracenia genus, captured at Kipandi Butterfly Farm in Moyog.

Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over evolutionary time.

However, some pitcher plant genera (such as Nepenthes) are placed within clades consisting mostly of flypaper traps: this indicates that this view may be too simplistic, and some pitchers may have evolved from flypaper traps by loss of mucilage.

Whatever their evolutionary origins, foraging, flying or crawling insects such as flies are attracted to the cavity formed by the cupped leaf, often by visual lures such as anthocyanin pigments, and nectar bribes.

The sides of the pitcher are slippery and may be grooved in such a way so as to ensure that the insects cannot climb out. The small bodies of liquid contained within the pitcher traps are called phytotelmata.

They drown the insect, and the body of it is gradually dissolved. This may occur by bacterial action (the bacteria being washed into the pitcher by rainfall) or by enzymes secreted by the plant itself.

Furthermore, some pitcher plants contain mutualistic insect larvae, which feed on trapped prey, and whose excreta the plant absorbs. Whatever the mechanism of digestion, the prey items are converted into a solution of amino acids, peptides, phosphates, ammonium and urea, from which the plant obtains its mineral nutrition (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus).

Like all carnivorous plants, they occur in locations where the soil is too poor in minerals and/or too acidic for most plants to be able to grow.

Refer here for more info.

The image posted are from genus Sarracenia flava.

Sarracenia is a genus comprising the nine (or arguably up to thirteen) species of North American pitcher plants. The genus belongs to the family Sarraceniaceae, which also contain the closely allied genera Darlingtonia and Heliamphora.

Sarracenia are carnivorous plants indigenous to the eastern seaboard, Texas, the Great Lakes area and southeastern Canada, with most species occurring only in the south-east United States (only S. purpurea occurs in cold-temperate regions).

The plant's leaves have evolved into a funnel in order to trap insects, and which produce enzymes to digest their prey.

The insects are attracted by a nectar-like secretion on the lip of pitchers, as well as a combination of color and scent. Slippery footing at the pitchers' rim, aided in at least one species by a narcotic drug lacing the nectar, causes insects to fall inside, where they die and are digested by the plant as a nutrient source.

Only S. purpurea normally contains significant rainwater in its tubular pitchers. It is a myth that all species contain water. In fact, the hoods of the other species help to keep out rain water in addition to keeping flying prey from escaping.

In common with many carnivorous plants, Sarracenia usually inhabit permanently wet regions with a low pH whose nutrients, particularly nitrates, are continuously leached away by water or made unavailable by the low pH.

Sarracenia consequently gain a competitive advantage over other plants from the substances they extract from their animal prey.

Also see here for more detail.

Thanking you in advance for viewing and your kind words and have a great weekend.

Agoes
captive-light, szekelykristof, mikolaj_cava, trekks, tsesler, cunejo200, jvachon, Pentaxian, Lano, Jong, dareco has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Mujahid-Awais: turn off the boldwieyos 1 09-26 08:20
To captive-light: Thankswieyos 1 09-26 01:17
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Critiques [Translate]

Good background that really makes the plants stand out, good detail and light, I like the hairs along the edge. Only minor criticism would be that the depth of field could have been a bit wider to give front to back sharpness, perhaps F8 might have worked better. Comprehensive note!

Hi Agoes,
Interesting plant, I've never seen such creature before. Very fine close-up and useful note to present this unique plant. Well done!
TFS
Greetings,
Kristof

Hello Agoes! Interesting objects. Good background. Very good sharp and contrast. Original composition. Well done!

  • Great 
  • trekks Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2027 W: 147 N: 3408] (13641)
  • [2008-09-26 1:19]

hi Agoes

The pitcher is shown very prominently in this composition with a pair and a great choice of angle to have the dark BG. I am wondering the sharpness loss is due to compression or the focus at FL180?

Nice macro shot.

tfs, bill

never seen this plant before, very nice pic. tfs Joke

Bonjour,
Jolie présentation bien équilibrée.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

Hi Agoes,
wonderful close up of interesting plants here,
it looks great against the darker bg,
beautiful detailes and colours,
welldone my dear friend and tfs,
have a nice weekend,
warm regards,
Taner

Fascinating subject Agoes.
The colors in this plant are just superb and you captured them well.
Artistic composition, perfect lighting and excellent black background.
Nice work!
- Vincent

Hey Agoes,
So pretty. Indeed the plants look and are shaped like pitchers. The dark b/h enhances details and contrast. A most informative Note and this inspires me to visit the National Arboretum once more to take pics of exotic and tropical plants. Best regards, Danilo

Excellent macro art.

Hello Agoes.
Perfect couple in your picture. Good job.
Fanny plant is it.
Have them also in the house, but all the 'pitchers are gone, after a year.
Wonder when they come back.
Regards from Jan

Hello Agoes,
WOW, what a fab shot with such lighting, detail and colour. I like how the black BG and how the hairs stand out.
A very artistic composition and well presented.
Interesting notes.
TFS, Joni

Hi Agoes,

Nice study in color and contrast against the black BG. Very interesting notes. TFS Thomas

Wah Agoes!

Sungguh cantik :-) Ngam itu background, brings out the plants so well. And itu notes, very very informative.

Have a great weekend!
Esther

those bugs and such don't stand a chance!
great colors and details in this, good studio style shot,
tfs,
scott

  • Great 
  • Lano Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 57 W: 0 N: 173] (1031)
  • [2008-09-27 7:56]

Assalammualaikum Bosku,

mula-mula saya tingu ini periuk kera teringat zaman budak-budak dulu-dulu, saya sama brader saya selalu pegi beribut cari yang belum buka tutup dia pasal mau minum dia punya air... banyak di kebun getah ni dulu sebelum wujud itu racun ROUND-UP..

for me the strength of this photo is the compo. where you choose 2 Sarracenia facing each other make "lovely" compo.

ketelitian komposisi yang memerlukan instinct yang kuat ini bosku.

Regards,

Ruslan

Hi Agoes, superb macro with splendid details and excellent sharpness, great dark BG, very well done, ciao Silvio

Exotic beauties my friend, great detail and colors
Dennis

  • Great 
  • dareco Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1717 W: 16 N: 840] (15143)
  • [2008-10-14 22:33]

An informative note and a VERY UNIQUE plant!!!! I love it, have never seen anything like this before. Very good lighting, colors and detail. TFS

  • Great 
  • Jong Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 428 W: 0 N: 273] (3168)
  • [2008-10-23 20:17]

i like your note, very informative and good colors/light/deails of the duo, great choice of the black background too. just wonder why f5.6, can be smaller. tfs, Agoes

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