feLISHA MITCHELL SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. 8? 



"DiON.^A MUSCii'ULA.^— This plant is found as far north as Newbern, N. C, 

 and from the mouth of Cape Fear river nearly to Fayetteville. Elliott says, 

 on the authority of (ien. Pinckney, that it grows along the lower liranches of 

 the Santee in South Carolina. Dr. Bachman has received it from Georgetown, 

 *S. C; and Mr. Audubon informed me, with the plant before us, that he has 

 seen it in Florida of enormous size. I think it not impossible, therefore, that 

 it inhabits the savannahs, more or less abundantly, from the latter place to 

 Newbern. f It is found-in great abundance for many miles around Wilmington, 

 in every direction. I venture a short notice of this interesting plant, as I am 

 not aware that any popular description of it has been published in this country. 



The leaf, which is the only curious part, springs from the root, spreading 

 upon the ground, or at a little elevation above it. It is composed of a petiole 

 or stem with broad margins, like the leaf of an orange tree, two to four inches 

 long, which at the end suddenly expands into a thick and somewhat rigid leaf, 

 the two sides of which are semi-circular, about two-thirds of an inch across, and 

 fringed around their edges with somewhat rigid cilice or long hairs like eye-lashes. 

 It is very aptly compared to two upper eye-lids joined at their bases. Each 

 side of the leaf is a little concave on the inner side, where are placed three 

 delicate, hair-like organs, in such an order that an insect can hardly traverse it 

 witliout interfering with one of them, when the two sides suddenly collapse 

 and enclose the prey with a force, surpassing an insect's efTorts to escape. The 

 fringe or hairs of the opposite sides of the leaf interlace, like the fingers of the 

 two hands clasped together. The sensitiveness resides only in these hair-like 

 processes on the inside, as the leaf may be touched or pressed in any other part 

 without sensible effects. The little prisoner is not crushed and suddenly de- 

 stroyed, as is sometimes supposed, for I have often liberated captive flies and 

 spiders which sped away as fast as fear or joy could hasten them. At other 

 times 1 have found them enveloped in a fluid of mucilaginous consistence, 

 which seems to act as a solvent, the insects being more or less consumed in it. 

 This circumstance has suggested the possibility of their being made subservient 

 to the nourishment of the plant, through an apparatus of absorbent vessels in 

 the leaves. But as I have not examined sufficiently to pronounce on the uni- 

 versality of this result, it will require further observation and experiment on 

 the spot to ascertain its nature and importance. It is not to be supposed, how- 

 ever, that such a food is necessary to the existence of the plant, but like com- 

 post, may increase its growth and vigor. But however obscure and uncertain 

 may be the final purpose of such a singular organization, if it were a problem 

 to construct a plant with reference to entrapping insects, I cannot conceive of 

 a form and organization better adapted to secure that end than are found in 

 the Dionaia Muscipula. I therefore deem it no credulous inference, that its 

 leaves are constructed for that specific object, whether insects subserve to the 

 purpose of nourishment to the plant or not. It is no objection to this view 

 that they are subject to blind accident, and sometimes close upon straws as well 

 as insects. It would be a curious vegetable, indeed, that had a faculty of dis- 

 tinguishing bodies, and recoiled at the touch of one, while it quietly submitted 

 to violence from another. Such capricious sensitiveness is not a property of 

 the vegetable kingdom. The spider's net is spread to ensnare flies, yet it 

 catches whatever falls upon it ; and the ant lion is roused from her hiding place 

 by the fall of a pebble ; so much are insects also, subject to the blindness of 



*I find upon diligent inquiry that it is not to be found at Georgetown but 

 near Bucksville, S. C, about 70 miles from Wilmington, and is very scarce 

 there. T. F. \\. 



fThe above was written in 1S34, but has not since been verified. Dionasa 

 is quite as local as at first found to be, Wilmington being the centre of its most 

 abundant growth. 



