SARRACENIA 



275 



glands occur here and there, and these, combined with the 



difficult footing, secure the 



easy descent of the insect into 



the fluid below. " It is," 



writes Goebel, " a unique 



spectacle to watch with what 



certainty and speed ants, for 



example, which seek the nectar 



glands of Sarracenia flava, 



vanish into the pitcher. If 



they once slip in they never 



reappear." 



The bottom of the pitcher 

 is covered by a smooth epiderm 

 devoid of glands and hairs. 

 Different species show differ- 

 ences in the relative space 

 occupied by the various 

 zones. 



Young unopened pitchers 

 of Sarracenia may contain a 

 little fluid. It is doubtful 

 whether it is secreted by the 

 nectar glands or by the epi- 

 derm. In the opened pitcher 

 some fluid is usually present, 

 but the pitcher may be quite 

 dry. As the mouth of the 

 pitcher is usually imperfectly 

 protected, it is likely that the 

 liquid is at least partly rain- 

 water. The best protected 

 pitchers are those which are 

 long and more or less erect, 

 e.g. those of Sarracenia Drum- 

 mondi and Sarracenia flava. 



and of Darlingtonia. They ^ r.- , r o 



... ,. . , -'PIG. 39. — Pitcher of barracenia. 



contam httle liquid ; were ], nat, size. 



