Rat-eating plant declared a new species

[Ichingcarpenter]

An unnerving plant, unusual for its partiality towards meat, has been declared a new species previously unknown to science.
The 'Queen of Hearts', which also munches on mice and frogs, seems to be straight out of botanical science fiction.
The plant, which was first found in Borneo in the late 1980s, is one of the largest carnivorous plants ever seen with some flowers stretching 2.5 metres.





Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2078646/Rat-eating-plant-declared-new-species-seven-years-award-winning-debut-Chelsea-Flower-Show.html#ixzz1hvSNdJi6



more pictures
http://carnivorousockhom.blogspot.com/2011/12/nepenthes-robcantleyi-aka-nepenthes.html

[Sanity Claws]

1. That looks like a tongue hanging out

The rat runs up the tongue and into his doom.
Does the plant also digest the bones? Or does it somehow regurgitate them?

[ThomWV]

7. If I had to guess I'd say that the bones are what it needs the most

If I had to guess I'd say that the trigger that moved the evolution of that plant toward the state it is in now is a lack of calcium in the soil where it grows. In places where it rains a lot the soils tend to be very acidic and that makes it more difficult for plants to take up the nutrients and minerals it needs from the soil. At any rate the plant finding and taking in nutrients from animals for one of two reasons; first it may be that it takes less energy to get the nutrients it needs that way, or second that the only way the nutrients it needs can be had is through digesting animals.

[Ichingcarpenter]

10. absolutely right

Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients (but not energy) from trapping and consuming animals

They usually live in bogs or where there is no nitrogen and other plants don't like.

[Zalatix]

2. How does a rat not claw or chew its way out?

[cthulu2016]

9. maybe an anasthetic or poison in the tube?

[Ikonoklast]

15. It's full of water. They drown.

[Maine-ah]

3. best comment

"Can we genetically modify these plants to eat politicians?"
- S. I. Mather, Bradwell, UK, 27/12/2011 16:01

[meow2u3]

16. Another great comment

Sounds interesting, if it eats rats then presumably that includes bankers and politicians. Where can I buy one?

- harovitch, Hove, 26/12/2011 11:26

[timtom]

17. Precisely what I thought immediately

Well, almost precisely...substitute neocons for politicians...no, wait. Stick with politicians.

[SpiralHawk]

4. "Feed me." - Audrey II

[WolverineDG]

5. I thought the same thing

DON'T FEED THE PLANTS!!

dg

[johnaries]

14. That was actually my SECOND thought....

my first thought was one of the old Tarzan movies (Jonny Weismuller, not Adam Lambert). I must be old.....

[Cleita]

19. LOL!

I thought the same thing.

[Javaman]

6. It's called the "newt gingrich". nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. The BBC's 1980s triffid wasn't far off

[RebelOne]

11. I really need that plant.

I am paying a pest control person to get rid of rats. So far, he has trapped and killed 11 of them. It would be nice to have a plant absorb them, so there are no dead carcasses to dispose of.

[Motown_Johnny]

13. you might need a whole garden of them

I would need to look into it but I am betting rats can breed faster than one plant can devour them.

[Zorra]

12. 2.5 meters is like 8 ft. That's huge. nt

[BlancheSplanchnik]

18. Caption This Pic frm the website!

Oh if only I knew photoshop!!