194 ANNUAL REPORT 



upon their inner walls; these spines are always directed down- 

 ward (Fig. 3). The shape of these traps is very different, and 

 we know sopae that look like trumpets, tubes, bags, funnels, 

 pitchers, bottles, and urns; others again are straight, bent or- 

 spiral. But all start from that part of the stem, which joins the 

 surface of the leaf. This latter is always comparatively small, 

 frequently only forming a scale, or it appears simply as an annex 

 to the large and excavated stem. In some the leaf forms a cover 

 over the mouth of the cavity, as in some species of Nepenthes- 

 (Figs. 5 and 8) ; in others it forms a non-political platform, rest- 

 inviting for insects, which are, however, as often caught by it as 

 some bipeds. 



In every trap of this kind we can distinguish three things:: 

 something to invite insects to come; something to prevent those 

 that have entered the trap from escaping; and something to de- 

 compose the dead prisoners, and change them to products that 

 can be absorbed. The invitation given to insects is similar to- 

 that given by flowers. Either honey is secreted, or bright col- 

 ors are displayed, which indicate to flying insects that a table 

 has been spread for them. The escape of a prisoner is made 

 impossible by pointed spines and hairs directed downward, or 

 by other similar arrangements, as shown in Fig. 3. The decom- 

 position of the dead insects is produced by certain liquids, se- 

 creted by peculiar cells in the bottom of the cavity. 



Although all plants belonging to this group are rather uni- 

 formly equipped to fulfill these three conditions, the equipment 

 itself is very different, and many curious things can be seen in 

 these murderous dens, making it worth; while to investigate them. 

 a little more in detail. 



We first mention the genus Genlisea, closely allied to the TJtri- 

 cularia. About a dozen species are known, which grow in water 

 or in swampy places in tropical Africa, Brazil and the "West 

 Indies. Besides leaves formed as usual most of the species of 

 Genlisea possess also others transformed into traps. Each trap 

 consists of a narrow, long, cylindrical bag, widened at the closed, 

 end, and furnished with a narrow opening at the other. The 

 opening is encircled with very small hooked teeth, bending in- 

 wards, and the whole inner wall is clothed with innumberable 

 small bristles, which start from projecting rows of cells, and 

 point downwards [Fig. 3, (1)]. Besides the organs mentioned we 

 find below and between the bristles scattering, wart-like glands^^ 

 composed of four to eight cells. The base of the bag is without 



