FLY-CATCHING AXD ALLIED PLANTS 581 



entrap the latter which, once inside, are unable to escape owing to the 

 bend in the middle of the flower tube and the numerous hairs which all 

 point inward. The Hies are usually essential to the pollination of the 

 flowers, and once this is effected the hairs collapse and thus often enable 

 the flies to escape unharmed. 



Cephalotus follicularis. Pitcher Plant of Australia (Ccpkalotaceae). A remark- 

 able marsh plant of YV. Australia, bearing two kinds of leaves, one form 

 being transformed into pitchers, which capture insects much in the same 

 way as Nepenthes. 



Darlingtonia. several species. California!! Pitcher-plant (Sarracftiiaccae). A 

 remarkable genus of perennial herbs found inhabiting marshy places 

 in California. The leaf-petioles, as in Sarracenia, are formed into long 

 pitchers, with the divided lamina or blade at the top. 



Dionoea muscipula. Venus's Fly-trap. (Droscraci'nc). A small remarkable marsh 

 plant of the S. United States. The spathulate leaves are furnished with 

 peculiar bristles along the margin; they are extremely irritable and when 

 touched by an insect close immediately and imprison the intruders; these 

 are killed and the plant absorbs the product of their decay. The leaves 

 will close also if touched by any solid substance. 



Dischidia Rafflesiana. Leaf Pitcher Plant (Asdepidcac). A climbing plant with 

 two kinds of leaves, indigenous to Malay and Tropical Australia; the 

 leaves are formed into closed pockets 3 to 5 in. long, with a small 

 aperture at one end. into which an adventitious root from the stem is 

 usually developed. 



Drosera, many species. Sundew. (Droscraccac). A genus of small swamp 

 plants found in most countries. Three species are indigenous to the 

 montane zone of Ceylon. Leaves thickly set with glandular hairs, which 

 are slightly irritable, being tipped with a minute drop of viscid fluid. 

 By means of the latter, insects are caught, when the surrounding hairs 

 combine to imprison them. 



Drosophyllum lusitanicum. Sundew. (Drosei'ticcat'). A striking plant with simi- 

 lar characters as the above, inhabiting the sandy hills of Portugal. 



Nepenthes. Several species. Pitcher Plant. " Bandura-wel," S. (Xepenthaccae) 

 A genus of semi-climbing plants inhabiting moist swampy places in the 

 tropics, mostly in Borneo, Sumatra, etc. X. tlistillatoria is indigenous 

 to Ceylon. A prolongation of the midrib is modified into curious pitcher- 

 like structures, with a lid at the top. These pitchers are in some species 

 or varieties as much as 8 to 10 in. long; they usually contain a quantity 

 of water, in which often a number of dead or dying insects are found, 

 the product of their decay being assimilated by the plant. 



Pinguicula vulgaris. Butterwort. (Lentibulariaccac) A bog plant indigenous 

 to the British Isles, furnished with radical leaves of a sensitive character, 

 incurved at the margins ; stimulated by the presence of proteid bodies, 

 they close over, when the sessile glands secrete a ferment and digest 

 their prey 



Sarracenia, several species: Side-saddle Flower. (Sarraceniaccae). Marsh 

 plants of North America, the leaf petioles of which are modified into re- 

 markable erect, often brightly coloured, pitchers, surmounted by a lid 



