. Introduction to botany. Botany. 144 Introduction to Botany. the pitcher and under surface of the pennant lure both creeping and flying insects to the mouth of the pitcher, and after they have passed beyond the incurved border, which they are likely to do, they meet with a smooth surface to which it is impossible for them to cling, and are precipi- tated to the bottom of the pitcher, where a di- gestive secretion awaits them. The attempts of creeping insects to crawl out of the pitchers are frustrated by stiff, downward-pointing hairs. Winged insects can fly upward, but instead of finding the
. Introduction to botany. Botany. 144 Introduction to Botany. the pitcher and under surface of the pennant lure both creeping and flying insects to the mouth of the pitcher, and after they have passed beyond the incurved border, which they are likely to do, they meet with a smooth surface to which it is impossible for them to cling, and are precipi- tated to the bottom of the pitcher, where a di- gestive secretion awaits them. The attempts of creeping insects to crawl out of the pitchers are frustrated by stiff, downward-pointing hairs. Winged insects can fly upward, but instead of finding the open- ing they are attracted by the transparent spots in the over- arching helmet, against which they vainly beat until they be- come exhausted and fall to the bottom, where they become im- Dariwgtonia Caiifornica. After mcrsed in the digestive fluid. Geddes. ° The pitcher plant known as Sarracenia variolaris, which is common in the southern states, although not so elaborate, has essentially the same devices as Darlingtonia, for alluring and entrapping in- sects. Investigations thus far leave us in doubt whether the main function of these pitchers is the capture of insects for the food of the plant, or whether they are primarily water, reservoirs to hold water that has been exuded from the plant itself, or caught from the rain in those cases. Fig. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Stevens, William Chase, 1861-. Boston, D. C. Heath & Co.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbotany, bookyear1902
