Jump to content

A Plant That Thrives When Used as a Toilet


Recommended Posts

Found this Article while browsing. Factual, amusing or just :biggrin: ?

Evolution in action I'd say. The mouth is large relative to the pitcher ensuring it catches the faeces. A smaller mouth would mean that the animals rear end would hang over the edge of the pitcher so the deposit would miss.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once again, leave the NY Times to remain on the cutting edge of science -- Peter D'Amato mentioned the so-called "novel nitrogen sequestration strategy" as far back as 1998 in The Savage Garden with the caption under a shot of Nepenthes lowii, "Tiolet Bowl for Birds?"

Further:

"Charles Clarke has observed birds and shrews feeding on the "eggs," [congealed "beads" of nectar on N. lowii] while their excrement falls in the pitcher!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...