'Assassin tree' glows to lure bait

Some carnivorous plants emit fluorescent light to attract the attention of insects.

>>>Typical carnivorous plants

A team of experts from the Jawaharlal Nehru Research Institute and Botanical Garden in Kerala, India discovered green fluorescent light from the fly-catch tree (Dionaea muscipula), two warm-capped plants Nepenthes and Sarracenia after ultra-ray irradiation. purple on them.

"Historically, scientists have not known the existence of fluorescent light in carnivorous traps. This is the first time we have discovered their fluorescence glow , " said Dr. Sabulal Baby, a member of the research team, spoke.

Fluorescent light emanates from the warm rim
of the warm lid Nepenthes gracilis. (Photo: BBC)

Species of carnivorous plants lure insects with nectar, color and scent. Most insects and arthropods can see ultraviolet rays in the electromagnetic field. Therefore, for them, fluorescent glowing parts of prey plants are attractive landing sites. Maybe even small mammals like mice and bats can see fluorescent light from prey plants.

To test the importance of fluorescent light, Baby and her colleagues covered the belt with the light of the Indian pitcher plant (Nepenthes khasiana) with one substance. They found that the number of primers they caught in the next 10 days fell sharply compared to when the experiment had not yet taken place.

"The results show that fluorescent light is an important mechanism in the captivity of carnivorous plants , " Baby said.