Kutherford Piatt 



THE CARNIVOROUS PLANT VENUS'S FLYTRAP, DIONAEA MUSCIPULA 



The trap at the tip of the leaf consists of two parts that come together like the halves 

 of an open book when an insect touches against one of the three trigger hairs on 

 the inner surface of each flap. The sections come together rather quickly; curved 

 bristles around the edge prevent the escape of the insect 



producing so many seeds that some at least are likely to alight where they can 

 establish themselves, and that one or two at least are likely to reach maturity. 



How Plants Compete^ Struggle commonly suggests our own experience 

 of competition and conflict with other members of our species. But most life 

 activities are not conflicts or rivalries in that sense. Nevertheless plants do 

 "compete". Thousands of plants get started in a garden or field, for example, 

 where only a few can find water and salts — and space — to grow up. 



Seeds can get started even while they almost touch one another. For the 

 time being there is room for all, water for all, air for all. And each has its own 

 food reserves to last for a few to many days. But in a few days many of them 

 have germinated. Almost hour by hour others put out their first sprouts — 

 usually the hypocotyl or root-tip. Now they begin to crowd. For after 

 having absorbed enough water to start the sprouting, each is several times 

 as large as it was in the dry state. The crowding raises some away from the 

 soil. And when these lose their touch with mother earth, the tip of the sprout 



^See Nos. 3 and 4, p. 558. 

 542 



