Sarracenia?

Posted by Twelvebit (Victoria, United States) on 22 April 2008 in Plants & Nature.

Based on the info provided by MadScientist I have changed the title from "unknown plant."

My wife and I stopped to check out a country cemetery. I looked for interesting headstones and grave decorations. My wife did too, at first, and then she turned her attention to the Springtime plant life. Neither of us could find another plant that looked like this one anywhere in the cemetery, nor has either of us ever noticed one anywhere else --but then we're not pretending to be extraordinarily observant. My wife knows a lot more about plants than I do, and she doesn't know what it is, so it follows that I don't either. Perhaps someone at Animus knows? Anybody?

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Comments (10)

Aaron Schmidt from Auckland, New Zealand

This plant looks carnivorous to me. I'm not sure what it is, sorry.

22 Apr 2008 3:32am

@Aaron Schmidt: The MadScientist suggests Sarracenia which may well be correct.

Daroru from Amagasaki, Japan

No idea sorry! But I agree with Aaron, I'd guess carnivorous. It's certainly freaky looking!

22 Apr 2008 3:37am

@Daroru: From the info provided by MadScientist, that appears to be the case.

MadScientist from Düsseldorf, Germany

Most likely it's some Sarracenia species, they're common from southern Canada to Florida. There's another genus, Heliamphora, that looks similar and is closely related to Sarracenia, but that's usually growing in South America. Beautiful plant, a very nice capture!

22 Apr 2008 7:40am

@MadScientist: Very interesting. Thanks for the info. What's posted at Wikipedia seems to point towards the Sarracenia, but personally I think it looks more like the Heliamphora (I like this name better too). However, according to the maps, this plant is outside the range of both references, considerably so for the latter, which is shown as only inhabiting South America. The Sarracenia is shown to exist in the northeast part of Texas, but this photo was taken considerable further south and west.

Anthony from Bielefeld, Germany

Nice plant,unless you´re an insect I would think!!

22 Apr 2008 9:39am

@Anthony: Apparently so.

Observing from Chester, United Kingdom

That's unique, very cool.

22 Apr 2008 12:09pm

@Observing: Thanks.

MadScientist from Düsseldorf, Germany

The Sarracenia is shown to exist in the northeast part of Texas, but this photo was taken considerable further south and west.

You wouldn't believe how many palm trees are now growing in Germany, so I think it's definitely possible that you captured a Sarra :-)

22 Apr 2008 1:28pm

Margie from Auckland, New Zealand

Great shot and VERY interesting looking plant.

22 Apr 2008 5:16pm

@Margie: Thank you.

danthro from Suburbia, United States

as soon as i saw the image i thought, "what the heck is that?" in other words, as usual, i have no idea. i tried googling Sarracenia, and i saw some images that looked a little like what you have, but i don't know that that helps. good luck!

22 Apr 2008 6:51pm

@danthro: Well, I learned something. I thought someone here would either know what it was or be able to point me in the right direction. Now that it's been pointed out to me, the nature of the plant --its form and function-- all make sense to me.

JoeB from Brampton, Canada

Looks like the plant from Little Shop of Horrors in its infancy stage. Otherwise I agree with whatever MadScientist says that's he's field so to speak.

22 Apr 2008 6:59pm

@JoeB: It's been a long time since I've seen that movie.