Carnivorous plant

Carnivorous plants (/kɑːrˈnɪvərəs plɑːnts/), also known as insectivorous plants, are a type of plant that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods.

Etymology

The term "carnivorous plant" comes from the Latin carnivorus, meaning "meat-eating", and planta, meaning "plant".

Types of Carnivorous Plants

Carnivorous plants are characterized by their ability to attract, capture, and digest prey. There are several types of carnivorous plants, including:

Pitcher plants: These plants have a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap.
Venus flytraps: These are perhaps the most well-known type of carnivorous plant. They capture their prey—chiefly insects and arachnids—with a trapping structure formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant's leaves.
Sundews: These plants have tentacles topped with sticky secretions that trap insects.
Butterworts: These plants have bright, sticky leaves that attract, trap, and digest insects.

Habitat and Distribution

Carnivorous plants are found all over the world, but they are most common in areas with high rainfall, acidic soil, and lots of sunlight. This includes parts of North America, South America, Australia, and Asia.

Related Terms

Botany: The scientific study of plants, including their physiology, structure, genetics, ecology, distribution, and classification.
Photosynthesis: The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the aid of chlorophyll pigments.
Chlorophyll: The green pigment found in cyanobacteria and the chloroplasts of algae and plants.