. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. From Sound To Sea. Natural Wonders of the Coast The Plant With an Unusual Appetite Charles Darwin called it "the most wonderful plant in the ; The great naturalist had traveled the globe, seeking clues to the mysteries of plants and animals. Yet, no plant fascinated him more than the Venus' flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), a botanical marvel found only within a 75-mile radius of Wilmington, No one has come up with a satisfactory answer as to why this strange plant does not prosper elsewher
. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. From Sound To Sea. Natural Wonders of the Coast The Plant With an Unusual Appetite Charles Darwin called it "the most wonderful plant in the ; The great naturalist had traveled the globe, seeking clues to the mysteries of plants and animals. Yet, no plant fascinated him more than the Venus' flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), a botanical marvel found only within a 75-mile radius of Wilmington, No one has come up with a satisfactory answer as to why this strange plant does not prosper elsewhere, but legends abound. One traces the original flytrap spores to a wandering meteor that struck the earth millions of years ago. Of course, that's hogwash to most botanists. But none can explain the flytrap's choice of habitat. They will tell you, however, that the Venus' flytrap, and other insectivorous plant species, are ideally suited to the low-lying, semi-bog savannahs common along North Carolina's southeastern coastal plain. The soils in these savannahs are seriously lacking in the one nutrient essential for plant survival: nitrogen. Over millenia, the Venus' flytrap and its cousins developed ways of snaring insects to supplement their diets, thus getting the much needed element. In the Croatan National Forest near New Bern, biologist Wayne Starnes keeps a careful watch over these unusual plants. leaves — perhaps attracted to the leaf's bright red lining — tickling the tiny hairs that coat the surface. This action encourages the flow of juices stored under pressure inside the plant, releasing the woody tissue hinge that holds the plant's "jaws" open. The sides of the leaf snap shut, often in less than a second, creating a cellulose prison. Over several hours, the released juices digest the Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these il
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