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| Venus Flytraps |
Venus flytraps are different from most plants in that they eat meat. When Charles Darwin wrote about "Insectorous Plants" in 1875, he said that the Venus flytrap is "one of the most wonderful [plants] in the whole world." After watching this plant's jaws snap around an insect, grabbing it for a meal, this person has no doubt that this thought came about.
Size
They grow to about 5 inches (13 centimeters) across. It is common for each plant to have about six stems with leaves that can be bent backwards. A clamshell is made of leaves that have "teeth." When the leaves close, they make a trap. The International Carnivorous Plant Society says that each trap grows to about 1 inch (3 cm) long.
Habitat
There are Venus flytraps that live in North and South Carolina, but they have also been spread to other states, like Florida and New Jersey. National Wildlife Federation: They like the moist, acidic soil found in the understories of forests because it's easy for them to grow. They also need a lot of water and a lot of sunlight to grow.
Habits and food
How this plant eats is what's most interesting. Flytraps attract insects because of the reddish lining on the leaves and because they secrete a smelly nectar that draws them to them. Bugs don't get stuck right away when they land in the flytrap. It doesn't close right away. Sensory hairs, called trichomes, are found on the inside of the petals. They help the plant figure out how fast the insect moves. There must be at least two movements in 20 seconds, or the petals won't close, so they need to move. This way, it doesn't get stuck with debris or other things that aren't good to eat.
A second time, the plant closes its jaws in less than a second by snapping its jaws from an open shape to a closed shape. They act like bars to keep the insect from getting out. It's related to "Deadly Math: Venus Flytraps Decide When They Kill Prey."
On the third move, it starts to break down the insect. They get into the mouth, and they break down the insect. It will open up again in five to 12 days, and the bugs that couldn't be digested will fall out.
There are many different kinds of animals that the Venus flytrap can get, but its favorite is ants. It can also eat other bugs like flies or beetles. However, flytraps aren't just a source of food for bugs. Other plants also need water and gases, but they also need sunlight and a lot of light. According to the Botanical Society of America, insects just add extra food to their diet.
Reproduction
They grow like many other plants, like Venus flytraps. To make seeds, they need to have their flowers be pollinated. Black and pear-shaped seeds grow after four to six weeks. These seeds are then spread around and become new plants.
These flytraps can also reproduce without having sex. The roots of the Venus flytrap will grow in the soil and make a bulb root, like a flower. The bulb will give birth to a new flytrap that will be bigger than the old one. A gardener can then cut the roots that connect the new plant and bulb to the parent plant.
Classification/taxonomy
If you want to know about the Venus flytrap's taxonomy, you can check out the Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
A plant is part of the kingdom Plantae. It is part of the subkingdom Viridiplantae. Embryophyta is the main group. In this group: Tracheophyta Spermatophytina is a division. Magnoliopsida is a group. Caryophyllanae is the superorder. Droseraceae is a family in the Caryophyllales order Dionaea is the name of the group of plants Dionaea muscipula is the species.
The conservation status of a piece of land
The Venus flytrap is on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species, which says it is at risk. These plants are at risk from over-harvesting and the loss of their habitats.
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| The Venus flytrap |
Some flytraps don't like their soil. Forest fires can sometimes be good for the understory of a forest, but it's not always the case. It can get rid of brush and let more sunlight into the ground. People often put out forest fires, so the trees and brush get too big, and the Venus flytraps don't get the light they need.
Facts about other things
Air can't get in or out when the flytrap's "mouth" is closed, so it is very safe. You can use that to keep bacteria out of your body.
These are plants that live for a long time, which means they bloom every year. It says that their flowers are white with green veins running from the base of each petal to its edges.
People say that Venus flytrap plants can live for up to 20 years or more, but they don't know for sure.