346 



PLANT LIFE. 



of which is tijiped by a large gland (fig. 3S5). The 

 , glistening fluid, a large drop of which is secreted 

 by each gland, is sticky enough 

 to entangle even insects of con- 

 siderable size, which alight ujjon 

 the leaves. The \-iscid secretion 

 en\-elops the struggling insect, and 

 at the same time the branches of 

 the leaves liend slowly inward 

 until more and more of the sticky 

 glands are thrust npon it. The 

 character of the se( retion then 

 changes. It liecomes 

 more watery and 

 contains ferments 

 which soon digest 

 the softer parts of the 



I-ic 3.S,S. 



Fig. ^87. — A, blooming plant of A li/ro7'ai!dia ^'csh-nlosn . Natural size. — .\fter 

 Drude. />, a single circle of leaves seen from the center abo\-e, showing stalk and 

 two semicircular lobes. Magnilied i.J diam.— .-Vfter Caspary. 



Fig. 3.SS. — Transverse section through closed trap of A^t/roTui >u/i,i , showing on inner 

 face lon.g sensitive hairs and many absorption hairs. ( )nly the central part is three 

 layers of cells thick; a broad margin is only one cell thick, c'otniiare appearance in 

 /V, fig, 3S7. Magnified 20 diani. — After Caspary. 



body. These are absorbed, and play an itn[)ortant part in 

 the nutrition of the plant. 



Dioncca (fig. 386) and its water mate, Ahinnwidia (fig. 

 387), have leaves whose blades are somewhat like a spring 



