124 Curtis^ s Enumeration of 



I 



this Interesting pknt^ as I am not aware that any popular 

 description of it has been published in this country. 



The leaf, which is the only curious part, springs from 

 the rootj spreading upon the ground, or at a little elevation 

 above it. It is composed of a petiole or stem with broad 

 margins, like the leaf of the orange tree, two to four 

 inches long, which at the end, suddenly expands into a 

 thick and somewhat rigid leaf, the two sides of which are 

 semicircular^ about two thirds of an inch across, and 

 fringed around their edges with somewhat rigid cilis or 

 long hairs hke eyelashes. It is very aptly compared to 

 two upper eyelids joined at their bases. Each side of 

 the leaf Is a little concave on the inner ■ side, where are 

 placed three delicate, hairlike organs, in such an order, 

 that an insect can hardly traverse it, without interfering 

 with one of them, when the two sides suddenly collapse 

 and enclose the prey with a force surpassing an insect's 

 efforts to escape. The fringe or hairs of the opposite 

 sides of the leaf interlace, like the fingers of the two 

 hands clasped together. The sensitiveness resides only 

 in these hairlike processes on the inside, as the leaf may 

 be touched or pressed in any other part, without sensible 

 effects. The little prisoner is not crushed and suddenly 

 destroyed, as is sometimes supposed; for I have often lib- 

 erated captive flies and spiders, which sped away as fast 

 as fear or joy could hasten them. At other times I have 

 found them enveloped in a fluid of a mucilaginous consist- 

 ence, which seems to act as a solvent, the insects beino- 

 more or less consumed in it. This circumstance has sug- 

 gested the possibility of their being made subservient °o 

 the nourishment of the plant, through an apparatus of 

 absorbent vessels in the leaves. But as I have not exam- 

 ined suiSciently to pronounce on the universality of this 



