Carnivorous Plants--NOT just Venus Flytraps!

What do you think of when you hear the words Carnivorous Plants?  Venus Flytrap?  Well, there are actually many different types and families with different techniques of trapping their prey.   

Carnivorous plants are plants that get some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals (yes, even animals!), but more typically insects and other arthropods (spiders).

On a recent visit to the Duke University Gardens in Durham, NC, with my daughter and son-in-law, I was able to photograph several different varieties.  (This was my son-in-law's favorite spot in the gardens, so we were sure not to miss it!)

Most of what I saw were pitfall plants (also known as pitcher plants).

Look closely in this first photo and you can see the tiny hairs on the Operculum (fancy name for the leaf covering on top that keeps the rain out of the trap!)

Some of the plants are actually rather pretty.

The plants above have red veins in the top leaf, where as the ones below do not.

Now the plant in these next two photos I can't identify.  (Should have taken a photo of the sign identifying it, which you can see but not read in the photo!)  So if someone knows what kind of carnivorous plant this is, please let us know!

To my son-in-law's disappointment, we didn't get to see any of them "in action"!  LOL

Hope you enjoyed learning alittle more about carnivorous plants today.