FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Sundew grower wrote: ↑Tue Aug 10, 2021 3:30 pm Wow! That really makes you wonder what other possible carnivores are all around us. I bet most of us have heard of the possible carnivory of tomatoes and potatoes (granted they would be proto-carnivores), but I don't think enough people talk about the possibility of blackberry bushes being proto-carnivores.

Tomatoes and potatoes are firmly not carnivores, they just possess a possible precursor trait (sticky defensive hairs) that could potentially, far in the future, evolve into carnivory.

Blackberries have thorns, that's all, despite silly videos about sheep trapped in brambles.

nimbulan wrote: ↑Wed Aug 11, 2021 4:40 am

Sundew grower wrote: ↑Tue Aug 10, 2021 3:30 pm Wow! That really makes you wonder what other possible carnivores are all around us. I bet most of us have heard of the possible carnivory of tomatoes and potatoes (granted they would be proto-carnivores), but I don't think enough people talk about the possibility of blackberry bushes being proto-carnivores.

Tomatoes and potatoes are firmly not carnivores, they just possess a possible precursor trait (sticky defensive hairs) that could potentially, far in the future, evolve into carnivory.

Blackberries have thorns, that's all, despite silly videos about sheep trapped in brambles.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I would just like to say that many scientists believe that tomatoes could possibly be carnivorous. I can't find the article but I believe there was a research project done by Hawaii University(don't quote me on that) that suggested that tomatoes should possibly be considered a proto-carnivore. Here's an article I could find.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/scie ... 34638.html
As for the blackberrys, I've heard many different opinions. I still don't completely know what to think on that one, I just said there was a possibility. I would definitely say there is a better chance of tomatoes being carnivorous than blackberries though.