Purple pitcher plant | Sarracenia pupurea
People are often surprised to learn that Sarracenia pupurea, one of the carnivorous American pitcher plants, is hardy enough to grow outside in the UK, but it’s actually found as far north as Alaska. In common with many carnivorous plants, Sarracenia grow happily in low-nutrient boggy conditions and supplement their diet with insects. Carnivorous plants have different ways of capturing their prey, but to be considered truly carnivorous they must be able to trap, dissolve and absorb the nutrients from their prey. Sarracenia is a true carnivorous plant and uses the pitfall trapping method. Its leaves take the form of an inviting nectar-filled tube lined with smooth hairs and a waxy surface that deposit insects into the liquid at the bottom where they drown. JK
Sacred lotus | Nelumbo nucifera
The sacred lotus is the national flower of both India and Vietnam. For Hindus it symbolises fertility, prosperity and eternity, while Buddhists saw it as a sign of spiritual awakening. This aquatic, herbaceous plant grows on the flood plains of slow-moving rivers and deltas in tropical and subtropical Asia. All of the plant is edible. Its leaves can be eaten
raw but are often boiled and used as a wrap in rice dishes or brewed as a tea. The seeds can be eaten like peas, while the tubers are similar to sweet potato, and its stems are a popular salad ingredient. It is thought to be one of the earliest occurring angiosperms – plants that flower and produce fruit containing seeds. The seeds fall into the river where they are covered with sediment. They often germinate quickly, but they can stay dormant for over a thousand years, waiting for the right conditions. The oldest sacred lotus seed on record was around 1,300 years old when it germinated. The sacred lotus also has also given rise to the
‘lotus effect’ – its leaves are self-cleaning and repel water thanks to their super-hydrophobic properties. When water makes contact with the leaves it forms droplets that collect dirt as they roll off. This self- cleaning ability has inspired new types of smart material. DR
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