PLANTS THAT FISH 23 



Other forms of the bladderwort have devised 

 different ways of luring and capturing their prey. 

 There is a species that shapes its "nets" and very 

 cunningly curves its leaves under the water to 

 imitate the mouth of the mother fish. The baby 

 fishes, when frightened from any cause, swim in 

 for protection, their entrance stirring sensitive 

 nerve-hairs that cause the leaves to close. On the 

 inside of these leaves is a rough, spiky surface, 

 which, on the closing of the walls, renders pas- 

 sage through them an impossibility. So the tiny 

 fish are imprisoned and gradually devoured, giv- 

 ing nourishment to the plant that has betrayed 

 them. When the plant finds its larder empty, the 

 leaves are opened out again, to procure a new 

 supply. 



Despite its foul and decaying contents, the vora- 

 cious bladderwort presents a remarkably dainty ex- 

 terior, with its strange, aerial stems which are cov- 

 ered with marvellously beautiful white and green 

 flowers. These flowers appear at a short distance 

 as though, like Mohammed's coffin, they were 

 miraculously suspended in the air. Perhaps their 

 beautjr is but an additional lure to the unwary! 



An interesting "fishing plant" is one that is found 

 on the coast of Africa, known as "trembling 

 leaves." This plant, however, does not do the fish- 



