Carnivorous flower stalk

Carnivorous flower stalk#378061

By ChefDean -  Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:18 pm
Location:  Clarksville, TN
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- Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:18 pm #378061

I noticed something this morning on my P. emarginata x juamavensis flower stalk. It caught a gnat and, when I took a pic, it appears to be greasy like the leaves. Whether or not it actually has the ability to excrete the enzymes for digestion, I don't know. But it has another avenue to capture them at least.

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Re: Carnivorous flower stalk#378064

By murrkywaters -  Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:26 pm
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- Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:26 pm #378064

I suppose you could always take a sample of the grease and see if it breaks down bloodworms. That should at least show if it's worth investigating.

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Re: Carnivorous flower stalk#378072

By ChefDean -  Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:09 pm
Location:  Clarksville, TN
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- Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:09 pm #378072

The grease is just the glue that traps the bug. The plant only secretes the enzymes after the bug is caught.
I suppose if I had the equipment to assay for the enzymes I could find out, but, alas, I don't.

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Re: Carnivorous flower stalk#378093

By evenwind -  Tue Apr 13, 2021 4:13 pm
Location:  Long Island, NY
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- Tue Apr 13, 2021 4:13 pm #378093

You do have to wonder why the plant would have evolved (or retained) gooey flower stalks if it wasn't expecting to release the requisite enzymes that make it worthwhile.

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Re: Carnivorous flower stalk#378094

By ChefDean -  Tue Apr 13, 2021 4:22 pm
Location:  Clarksville, TN
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- Tue Apr 13, 2021 4:22 pm #378094

I would wonder that, but there are also carnivorous tomatoes and potatoes. Passive, yes, they only trap the bug and it expires from exposure and is then washed off to decompose and enrich the soil. However, I would think that the plant would go the route of a non-sticky stalk to not accidentally trap a pollinator.

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Re: Carnivorous flower stalk#378095

By evenwind -  Tue Apr 13, 2021 4:27 pm
Location:  Long Island, NY
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- Tue Apr 13, 2021 4:27 pm #378095

I dunno, I can't see both passive and active carnivory evolving on the same plant. Certainly possible, I suppose.

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Re: Carnivorous flower stalk#378100

By MikeB -  Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:03 pm
Location:  Clayton, NC, USA - Zone 8a
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- Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:03 pm #378100

I think the sticky flower stalks are like that to prevent aphids from feeding on them. My sundews with smooth stalks have this problem; the ones with sticky stalks don't.

Re: Carnivorous flower stalk#378103

By murrkywaters -  Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:10 pm
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- Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:10 pm #378103

evenwind wrote:I dunno, I can't see both passive and active carnivory evolving on the same plant. Certainly possible, I suppose.

I believe that such a plant is mentioned in the savage garden

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Re: Carnivorous flower stalk#378922

By ChefDean -  Wed Apr 21, 2021 11:33 pm
Location:  Clarksville, TN
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- Wed Apr 21, 2021 11:33 pm #378922

We have now advanced to carnivorous flowers. I've watched this guy for two days as he struggled to escape being stuck to the flower petal. Sweet!

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Re: Carnivorous flower stalk#378927

By sundewd -  Wed Apr 21, 2021 11:59 pm
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- Wed Apr 21, 2021 11:59 pm #378927

I think mucilage on the flower stalk is actually the older trait. It exists outside of carnivorous plants and is at least partly believed to limit pollinating insects by preventing non flying insects from getting to the flowers, or something like that. You can see it in some drosera and not in others but it actually took me a couple years growing them to realize that burmannii flowers are covered in dew, not fuzzy.

the sepals of D. burmannii flower have these weird shaped glands

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