THE AMEKICAN PITCHEE-PLANTS 



By Roland M. Harper 



The American pitcher-plants (family Sarraceniaceae), which are 

 totally unlike any other plants in the Western Hemisphere, though 

 distantly related to the Old World family jSTepenthaceae, have long- 

 attracted popular attention on account of their carnivorous habits and 

 striking appearance. The family comprises three genera, with nine 

 known species, a few subspecies, varieties, or abnormal forms, and 

 several hybrids ; all perennial herbs, growing in damp sandy soils and 

 boggy places in temperate climates. They have nearly all been culti- 

 vated for ornament in Europe, especially in Great Britain and Ire- 

 land, where several horticultural varieties and artificial hybrids have 

 originated. 



The leaves of all the species arise from subterranean rootstocks, 

 and are normally tubular, with a longitudinal wing on the anterior 

 side. This tube corresponds with the petiole of ordinary leaves, and 

 is usually surmounted by an appendage known as the hood, vary- 

 ing greatly in shape in different species, which corresponds to the 

 leaf-blade. So odd are the shapes of the leaves of some species that 

 it is impossible to describe them adequately in words, and for this 

 reason it has been difficult to interpret correctly some of the early 

 descriptions that were unaccompanied by figures, and some confusion 

 in nomenclature has resulted. 



In some of the species the leaf-tubes are wide open to the sk}", and 

 in others the hood is curved over the mouth of the tube in such a way 

 that no sunshine or rain can enter directly. In the latter case the 

 • convexity of the hood is always provided with numerous white trans- 

 lucent spots which serve to illuminate the interior, the advantage of 

 which will appear presently. A red pigment (anthocyan) is quite 

 characteristic of the family, appearing in varying degree in both 

 leaves and flowers. It is generally best developed in plants growing 

 in sunny places. 



The leaves contain more or less liquid, which in the species with 

 open tubes is luostly rain-water, but in the others is a secretion from 



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