Insectivorous flowering plants
An outstanding feature of the pitcher plant is the development of passive insect traps: the 'pitchers' produced at the tips of the tendril as an extension of the leaf.
In the flora of Malaysia, there are about 47 species which can be categorized as insectivorous flowering plants. These unique plants belong to three unrelated families: the Lentibulariaceae, or bladderwort family; the Droseraceae, or sundew family, and the Nepenthaceae, or pitcher plant family. Although they differ greatly in their morphology and habitat preference, all share common ecophysiological traits in being able to lure, trap and digest insects, and colonize and thrive well in nitrogen-deficient environments.
- Information in the full article includes
- Bladderworts (Utricularia)
- Sundews (Drosera)
- Pitcher plants (Nepenthes)
- Potential as ornamentals