Overview
Sarraceniaceae is a family of pitcher plants (along with Nepenthaceae), belonging to order Ericales (previously Nepenthales).
The family comprises three extant genera: Sarracenia (North American pitcher plants), Darlingtonia (the cobra lily or California pitcher plant), and Heliamphora (sun pitchers).1][2] The extinct Archaeamphora longicervia may also belong to this family.[3] The first two are native to North America while Heliamphora is native to South America. All three are carnivorous plants that lure insects with nectar and use their elongated tube shaped leaves filled with water and digestive enzymes (or bacteria in the case of Darlingtonia) to catch and consume them. Many species also use downward pointing hairs and waxy secretions to make it difficult for insects to escape.
These plants grow in nutrient-poor, often acidic soil and use the insects as a nutritional supplement. The pitchers originate from a rhizome and die back during the winter dormancy. Plants of the genus Sarracenia occur mostly in Sphagnum bogs.
Most Sarraceniaceae have tall, narrow pitchers that are vertical or nearly so. Sarracenia purpurea, however, has short, squat, bulbous pitchers close to the ground, and Sarracenia psittacina has pitchers that grow horizontally.
The purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) is the official flower of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Archaeamphora longicervia, Extinct
Heliamphora
Darlingtonia californica
Sarracenia
These plants grow in nutrient-poor, often acidic soil and use the insects as a nutritional supplement. The pitchers originate from a rhizome and die back during the winter dormancy. Plants of the genus Sarracenia occur mostly in Sphagnum bogs.
Most Sarraceniaceae have tall, narrow pitchers that are vertical or nearly so. Sarracenia purpurea, however, has short, squat, bulbous pitchers close to the ground, and Sarracenia psittacina has pitchers that grow horizontally.
The purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) is the official flower of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Archaeamphora longicervia, Extinct
Heliamphora
Darlingtonia californica
Sarracenia
References
- ^ McPherson, S. & D. Schnell 2011. Sarraceniaceae of North America. Redfern Natural History Productions Ltd., Poole.
- ^ McPherson, S., A. Wistuba, A. Fleischmann & J. Nerz 2011. Sarraceniaceae of South America. Redfern Natural History Productions Ltd., Poole.
- ^ Li, H. 2005. Early Cretaceous sarraceniacean-like pitcher plants from China.PDF (2.84 MiB) Acta Bot. Gallica 152(2): 227-234.
- Sarraceniaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.
- D?Amato, Peter, The Savage Garden: Cultivating Carnivorous Plants, Berkeley 1998, ISBN 0-89815-915-6
Taxonomy
The Family Sarraceniaceae is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Subfamily (4): Asteroideae · Iridoideae · Polemonioideae · Rhinanthoideae
- Tribe (4): Helenieae · Irideae · Polemonieae · Veroniceae
- Genus (6): Chrysamphora · Darlingtonia · Heliamphora · Mondia · Sarracenia · Seleniphyllum
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 460 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in the Family Sarraceniaceae.
Genera
Chrysamphora
Darlingtonia
A genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]
Heliamphora
The genus Heliamphora ( or /hi?li'?mf?r?/; Greek: helos "marsh" and amphoreus "amphora") contains 23 species of pitcher plants endemic to South America. The species are collectively known as sun pitchers, based on the mistaken notion that the heli of Heliamphora is from the Greek helios, meaning "sun". In fact, the name derives from helos, meaning marsh, so a more accurate translation of their scientific name would be marsh pitcher plants. Species in the genus Heliamphora are carnivorous plants that consist of a modified leaf form that is fused into a tubular shape. They have evolved mechanisms to avoid completely filling up with water and attract, trap, and kill insects. At least one species (H. tatei) produces its own proteolytic enzymes that allows it to digest its prey without the help of symbiotic bacteria. [more]
Mondia
A Genus in the Kingdom Plantae. [more]
Sarracenia
Sarracenia ( or /?s?r?'s?ni?/) is a genus comprising 8 to 11 species of North American pitcher plants. The genus belongs to the family Sarraceniaceae, which also contain the closely allied genera Darlingtonia and Heliamphora. [more]
Seleniphyllum
More info about the Genus Seleniphyllum may be found here.
References
- ^ McPherson, S. & D. Schnell 2011. Sarraceniaceae of North America. Redfern Natural History Productions Ltd., Poole.
- ^ McPherson, S., A. Wistuba, A. Fleischmann & J. Nerz 2011. Sarraceniaceae of South America. Redfern Natural History Productions Ltd., Poole.
- ^ Li, H. 2005. Early Cretaceous sarraceniacean-like pitcher plants from China.PDF (2.84 MiB) Acta Bot. Gallica 152(2): 227-234.
Sources
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