286 DION^A MUSCIPULA. Chap. XIII. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



DiONiEA MUSCIPULA. 



Structure of the leaves — Sensitiveness of the filaments — Eapid 

 movement of the lobes caused by irritation of the filaments — 

 Glands, their power of secretion — Slow movement caused by the 

 absorption of anmial matter — Evidence of absorption from the 

 aggregated condition of the glands — Digestive power of the secre- 

 tion — Action of chloroform, ether, and hydrocyanic acid — The 

 manner in which insects are captured — Use of the marginal 

 spikes — Kinds of insects captured — The transmrssion of the motor 

 impulse and mechanism of the movements — Ke-expansion of the 

 lobes. 



This plant, commonly called Venus' fly-trap, from the 

 rapidity and force of its movements, is one of the most 

 wonderful in the world.* It is a member of the 

 small family of the Droseraceae, and is found only in 

 the eastern part of North Carolina, growing in damp 

 situations. The roots are small ; those of a mo- 

 derately fine plant which I examined consisted of two 

 branches about 1 inch in length, springing from a 

 bulbous enlargement. They probably serve, as in the 

 case of Drosera, solely for the absorption of water; 

 for a gardener, who has been very successful in the 

 cultivation of this plant, growls it, like an epiphytic 

 orchid, in well-drained damp moss without any soil.f 

 The form of the bilobed leaf, with its foliaceous foot- 

 stalk, is shown in the accompanying drawing (fig. 12). 



* Dr. Hooker, in his address to the habits of this plant, that it 



the British Association at Belfast, would be superfluous on my part 



1874, has given so full an.histori- to repeat them. 

 cal account of the observations f 'Gardener's Chronicle,' 1874, 



which have been published on p. 464. 



