Carnivorous Plants – Sundew
P.Tamizhmuhil Neelamegam
Droseras, Commonly called as Sundews.They have gummy tentacles which attracts the insects by their bright colour and smell. Sundew is named because of the dew drops at the end of their tentacles which glitter when exposed to sunlight. They primarily grow on acidic bogs and moist sandy areas.
How does it captures its prey?
Once an insect lands on the leaf, the tentacles begin to wrap around the prey and the Sundew produces more digestive fluid. More tentacles wrap around the bug, and the digestive process begins. Within hours the Sundew has ingested its catch, leaving only the skeletal remains. Sundews have one of the more powerful digestive systems in the carnivorous plant world.
This video shows a Drosera plant trapping a midge with its mobile tenticles and rolling its leaf.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=cZ7Fws1HaL0
The researchers have found that the secret of the quick tentacles involves the releasing of pent-up hydraulic pressure in a sudden burst, and it happens fast.The sundew takes about 75 milliseconds to capture its prey with snap tentacles. These snap tentacles are one-shot weapons.Once they capture a prey, these tentacles break off.The sundew grows fast, developing new leaves every three to four days, so losing a snap tentacle does not affect the plant.
Medicinal uses of the sundew:
These sundews provide an effective remedy for respiratory ailments and chest problems including coughs, asthma,woophing cough, arteriosclerosis and bronchitis.The plant contains an antibiotic substance that, in pure form, is effective against Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Pneumococcus. In European folk medicine, the fresh juice is used for warts and corns, and is taken internally as an aphrodisiac.
References:
http://medicinalherbinfo.org/herbs/Sundew.html
http://www.livescience.com/23488-carnivorous-plants-sundew-tentacles-prey.html
http://www.gublers.com/Pages/Carnivorous%20Tabs/sundew.html
To be Continued…