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The Venus Flytrap: 10 Things You Didn鈥檛 Know

The Venus flytrap also known by its scientific name Dionaea muscipula, is a carnivorous plant. This plant is a native of the subtropical wetlands of the East Coast of the US in North Carolina and South California. Being a carnivorous plant, the Venus Flytrap catches its prey majorly insects and arachnids.

The prey is caught using a trapping structure that is formed by the terminal portion of each plant鈥檚 leaves. These structures are triggered by tiny hairs on their inner surfaces. When an insect or spider crawling down the leaves strikes a hair, the trap prepares to close, snapping shut only if another contact occurs within around twenty seconds after the first strike.

Triggers can occur as soon as a tenth of a second after touch. The requirement of redundant triggering in this system protects against wasting energy by catching items with low nutritional value, and the plant will only begin digestion after five additional stimuli to verify it has caught a live bug worthy of ingestion. These plants are widely cultivated, however, they are becoming an endangered species.

Here are the 10 Things You Didn鈥檛 Know About The Venus Flytrap:

1. The Plant was Historically Known by the Slang Term Tipitiwitchet

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The Venus flytrap has been around for a very long time since the 17^th century. Its name is derived from Latin and Greek terms, but historically, the plant had another name. It was also known by the slang tipitwitchet or tippity twitchet.

This name was due to its oblique reference to how the Venus Flytrap resembles the human female genitalia. Tipitiwitchet is also the same as the term tippet-de-witchet, an archaic term for the female reproductive system. However, English botanist John Ellis wrote that the term tipitiwitchet refers to 鈥渢he plants leaves which wind around鈥�.

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2. The Venus Flytrap was Discovered by the North Carolina Colonial Governor, Arthur

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The Venus Flytrap was discovered a long time ago in the 1700s. On 2^nd April 1759, the Venus Flytrap was discovered by the North Carolina colonial governor, Arthur Dobbs. Arthur Dobbs wrote the first written description of the Venus Flytrap in a letter to English botanist Peter Collinson.

鈥淲e have a kind of Catch Fly Sensitive which closes upon anything that touches it. It grows in Latitude 34 but not in 35. I will try to save the seed here.鈥� Arthur鈥檚 letter to Peter stated. A year later on 24^th January 1760, the colonial governor wrote in detail about the plant. This second description was the first detailed plant description by the Europeans.

3. The Plant is Small with its Structure Described as a Rosette of 4 to 7 Leaves

The Venus Flytrap is a unique plant that is easily distinguished from other plants. It is a small plant that has a structure that can be described as a rosette of four to seven leaves. These leaves emerge from a short subterranean stem.

The stems of the Venus Flytrap are bulb-like objects. These stems are usually short as they reach a maximum size of three to ten centimeters. This length depends on the time of the year with longer leaves that have robust traps forming after flowering.

4. The Venus Flytrap Leaf Blade is Divided into 2 Regions Playing Different Roles

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A unique carnivorous plant, the Venus Flytrap leaf blade has a unique structure. Its leaf blade is divided into two regions which have specific roles. The first region is a flat, heart-shaped petiole that is capable of carrying out photosynthesis.

The second region is a pair of terminal lobes that hinge at the midrib. This region forms the trap which is usually the true leaf. Red anthocyanin pigments are located on the upper side of the terminal lobe which also has its edges that secrete mucilage.

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5. The Plant’s Lobes Exhibit Rapid Plant Movements

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To exhibit their superior carnivorous traits, the Venus Flytrap has lobes which are very crucial. These lobes usually exhibit rapid plant movements. Its trapping mechanism is activated immediately when prey comes into contact with one of the three hair-like trichomes located on the upper surface of each lobe.

6. The Trapping Mechanism is Highly Specialised & Can Distinguish Between Living and Non-Living Prey

The mechanism of trapping prey is so specialized that it can tell the difference between living prey and non-prey stimuli like falling raindrops. This mechanism occurs when two trigger hairs get touched in succession within 20 seconds of each other, or one hair must be touched twice in rapid succession, before the trap鈥檚 lobes snap shut, typically in one-tenth of a second. The lobes鈥� margins are bordered by stiff hair-like protrusions called cilia, which mesh together to prevent large prey from escaping.

7. Small Prey of the Venus Flytrap can Escape While Large Prey are Digested Quickly

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The mechanism of digesting prey depends on their size. There are holes in the meshwork of the Venus Flytrap which is a huge advantage to small prey. The meshwork gives the small prey a chance to escape because they don鈥檛 won鈥檛 benefit them more than the cost of digesting them.

However, the escape of small Prey usually makes the Venus Flytrap plants reopen within 12 hours. Large preys are usually the suitable option for these plants. When these preys begin moving within, they are squeezed and digestion starts quickly.

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8. The Closing Speed of The Venus Flytrap Depends on Several Factors Like Humidity

The rate of closing of the Venus Flytrap leaves can vary based on humidity, light, prey size, and normal growth conditions. The rate at which traps close can be used to gauge a plant鈥檚 overall health. Venus flytraps do not require as much humidity as certain other carnivorous plants, including Nepenthes, Cephalotus, most Heliamphora, and some Drosera.

9. The Venus Flytrap is Found in Nitrogen- and Phosphorus-poor Environments

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The Venus flytrap inhabits nitrogen- and phosphorus-deficient habitats such as bogs, moist savannahs, and canebrakes. Despite its small stature and slow growth, the plant tolerates fire well and relies on periodic burning of other plants to control competition. However, fire suppression endangers its survival in the wild.

The plants may also live in wet sandy or peaty soils. Although it has been successfully transplanted and grown in many locations across the world, it is solely native to the coastal bogs of North and South Carolina.

10. These Plants Are Under The Endangered Species List

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Even though the Venus Flytrap is a carnivorous plant, it is listed under the endangered species list. The Venus Flytrap is widely cultivated for sale and nurturing as houseplants. However, they are experiencing a huge decline in population in the wild.

There are several factors that are making the Venus Flytrap get threatened with extinction. Some of these factors include poaching and fire suppression.

These plants are supposed to be taken care of for them to survive and avoid going extinct like other species of plants and animals. The beauty of the Venus Flytrap is also appreciated by many.

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