Action of Glands. 523 



slowly bend over and hug it to death. Two other genera, the Dionea 

 and Aldrovanda, have leaves, the two lateral halves or lobes of which 

 are united by a sort of hinge or midrib. When either of those is agi- 

 tated by the pressure of an insect alighting upon it, they suddenly close, 

 and generally catch the intruder, squeeze it to death, and absorb its sub- 



8. 



FIG. 246. Aldrovanda Vesiculosa, an aquatic fly-trap. 

 A. A whorl of leaves floating free. It is destitute of i 



a. Lobes of the leaf. B. Lobes of leaf enlarged and pressed flat 



6. Defending bristles. m. Midrib. [open, 



p. Petiole, or leaf stalk. fir. Glands. s. Sensitive hairs, Organs of Touch. 



stance into the tissues of the plant. 



The Aldrovanda is a water plant without roots, and floa.ts freely. The 

 bi-lobed leaf has, on the part near the midrib or hinge, a large number 

 of glands, which are supposed to secrete a fluid which contains a fer- 

 ment for digesting the animal matter squeezed out of the victims. In 

 the same part of the lobes, and particularly on the midrib itself, are a 

 large number of long, finel} T -pointed hairs, which are organs of touch, 

 and when touched convey a stimulus which closes the lobes together. 

 The lobes stand apart at a small angle, so they do not have to move far 

 in shutting. 



There is only one genus of the Dionea Muscipula, and it is found in 

 eastern North Carolina. The common name is the Venus Fty-trap. 



FIG. 247. Dionea, or Venus 

 Fly-trap attending to business, 

 a." Laying " for him. 

 6. Got him. 



' ' Each leaf bears at its- 

 summit an appendage, 

 which opens and shuts, in 

 shape something like a 

 steel trap, and operating 

 much like one. " The two- 

 lobes of this trap open so 

 as to stand usually at an 



FIG. 247. angle of about 90 with 



each other. Around the outer edges of each lobe, is a row of stiff pro- 

 jections or spikes. On the inner face of each lobe there are two, three 

 or four filaments, or hair-like processes i of an inch long, which are 



