Minnesota Plant Life. 



279 



On the upper side are some sharp-pointed hairs, and when an 

 insect alights upon a leaf and irritates the hairs a couple of times 

 the two sides of the leaf snap together with a movement suffi- 

 ciently sudden to catch the insect, after which its body is di- 

 gested by the plant. A little less sensational but none the less 

 accurate are the fly-catching habits of the common Minnesota 

 pitcher-plant which grows in abundance throughout the tama- 

 rack swamps of the state. The leaves of this plant are hol- 

 lowed out as vase-like structures, and are usually half full of 

 water. The margin of each pitcher is protected by a flap on 

 which are arranged a number of hairs pointing downwards. 

 Within, the surface of the pitcher is very smooth. Inquisitive 

 insects which alight upon the flap find it easy to walk in the 

 direction in which the hairs are pointed, but difficult to move 

 in the other direction. Thus they are guided to the smooth 

 rim of the vase and tumble in. Digestive ferments are secreted 

 by the action of glands or of bacteria which inhabit the water 

 in the pitcher, and the bodies of the insects are converted into 

 food-material for the bacteria, and directly or indirectly find 

 their way into the tissues of the pitcher-plant itself. The flower 

 of the pitcher-plant, standing on its slender, erect stalk, is con- 

 spicuous by its purplish petals and by a very extraordinary um- 

 brella-shaped stigma which arches over the short stamens, pro- 

 tecting their sensitive pollen-spores from the cold of the bog 

 where these plants select their abode. Besides, this umbrella- 

 shaped stigma serves as preventive against the flower being 

 pollinated by its own pollen. The pollen spores germinate on 

 the points at the angles of the umbrella. The fruit is made up 

 of five fused carpels and contains numerous small seeds. 



Sundews. Related to the pitcher-plants are the sundews, 

 which are found throughout the state in deep tamarack swamps 

 or peat-bogs. There are four varieties, distinguished by the 

 shapes of their leaves, to be looked for in Minnesota. The 

 round-leafed sundew is as common as any. In this the leaves 

 are almost round, on slender stems, spreading out in a little 

 circle at the base of the delicate, erect flowering axis. The 

 leaves are half an inch or so broad and covered over with prom- 

 inent red glandular hairs. Another variety has the leaves ovate 

 or spoon-shaped. In still another, the leaves are long-ovate, 



