pitcher plant

noun

1. any of various insectivorous New World bog plants of the genera Sarracenia, Darlingtonia, and Heliamphora, having tubular or trumpet-shaped leaves containing a liquid in which insects are trapped.
2. the common pitcher plant, S. purpurea, having red or green leaves and a large, nodding, globular dull-red flower.
3. any of various insectivorous Old World plants of the genus Nepenthes, having leathery leaves each ending in a tendril that bears a lidded, pitcherlike receptacle.

pitcher plant

noun

1. any of various insectivorous plants of the genera Sarracenia , Darlingtonia , Nepenthes , and Cephalotus , having leaves modified to form pitcher-like organs that attract and trap insects, which are then digested See also huntsman's-cup

Word History and Origins

Origin of pitcher plant¹

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

Once the prey is on the rim of the pitcher plant, it’s often a point of no return.

From National Geographic

In Borneo, some mountain-dwelling pitcher plant species have even evolved away from carnivory, changing their diets to fit better into certain niches.

From National Geographic

In the case of the East Asian pitcher plant, this mutational freedom may have even fine-turned its ability to capture prey and satisfy its appetite for "meat."

From Science Daily

In this new study, Albert and Fukushima's teams discovered that the specialized pitcher trap of the Asian pitcher plant, or Nepenthes, may have been promoted by polyploidy.

From Science Daily

He and his colleagues at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute had previously discovered that the rims of the Indian pitcher plant Nepenthes khasiana are fluorescent and that newly opened traps emit carbon dioxide—features that attract insects.

From Science Magazine