194 INSECTIVOROUS PLANTS. 



although reduced in size, shows how singular it 

 is. The curious leaves are all at the base of the 

 plant close to the ground. The flower-scape arises 

 from the centre, is about a foot in height, and 

 bears from eight to ten pretty white flowers. 



FIG. 50. 



I. Outspread Leaf of Venus's Flytrap. 2. Section through a Closed Leaf. 

 (" Pflanzenleben.") 



This novel Flytrap has no sticky secretion, like 

 the Sundews, with which to capture prey, but in- 

 stead of this its leaves are converted into traps 

 something like a steel trap. The midrib or central 

 vein, which is thick and strong, divides the leaf 

 into two lobes, each of which is furnished with three 

 very sensitive, short hairs or filaments, as may be 

 seen in the illustration of the single leaf (Fig. 50). 



