Friday, November 22, 2013

Carnivore I

NEPENTHE "MARIA," CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN, GLENCOE, ILLINOIS, NOVEMBER 21, 2013

Pentax K-3
Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro
1/320 sec. f6.3
ISO 1600

The nepenthe is a tropical pitcher plant sometimes called "monkey cup." Insects fall into the pitcher and drown, and are digested by enzymes secreted by the plant.  This one in the Botanic Garden's tropical greenhouse is about seven inches long. Bigger specimens have been known to eat lizards and small birds.


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