Aristolochia longiflora - quaisi- carnivorous?

[Finch]

I was browsing the internet

and came upon this site  

Quote[/b] ]I found this plant when I was around 13, thinking it was carnivorous. Years later, in 1995, I discovered the Carnivorous Plant Internet Discussion Group, and mentioned it. Jan informed me that it was not carnivorous, but related to the Dutchman's Pipe. The trap actually captures the insect not to digest it, but to ensure pollination! Insects are lured to this opening of the trap, then they go down into the tube. The plant senses the prey, closes the opening, and the insect is forced to spend it's remaining time inside.  The insect ( bored to death ) will at least pollinate the flower before dying

it soundind interesting, but my further serching coudn't find any more information of suitable size about the plant. Unfortunatly i dont know if the sorce is credible or even true. the so called 'flower' on the page looks nothing like the supposed flower of the same species on the link given. Does anyone know about this plant

? it sounds interesting... but is it true?

P.s and the little walking things are there because... i was bored

 

[TheAlphaWolf]

I hate it when I can't find much info on stuff... but if you search for Aristolochia erecta, the pictures do look like the ones showed there.
and apparently it's also called the swan flower
"The Swan Flower is one of many members of the Aristolochiaceae (Birthwort family) that have their flowers pollinated by temporarily trapping insects. Many aristolochias have rotten smelling flowers to attract flies. The insects fly into the flowers and are trapped by downward facing hairs in the tube of the flower. They move about in the "bottom" of the flower where the anthers are located and pick up pollen. Soon, the flower wilts and the flies can escape to go pollinate another aristolochia flower."
http://gardeninglaunchpad.com/valbf/aristolochiaerecta.html

 

[Finch]

Quote[/b] ]and apparently it's also called the swan flower

yes... that was the title of my original serch query...

Quote[/b] ] Soon, the flower wilts and the flies can escape to go pollinate another aristolochia flower."

AH i know that being trapped untill its death sounded suspicious since it doesnt allow for any polen transfer between individuals! thankyou, alpha

 

[Ozzy]

I have heard of this before. I can't really say more than that though.
You should remember that just because a plant will trap and even kill insects does not make them carnivorous. To be considered carnivorous a plant must attract, capture, and digest to considered carnivorous.
The CP discussion group sounds like the cp listserv. The person "Jan" is probably Jan Schlauer. If this is the case I would believe it. Jan almost always right when it comes to plants.

 

[Finch]

carnivorous or not, it sounded interesting... Jan, huh? Well, i was wondering what place it was there cant be that many i havt herd of.

Quote[/b] ] It's very endangered and I have VERY few.

"very endangerd" appeirs to be a overstetement, atleast for Aristolochia longiflora... one sorce notes it as a rare wildflower

 

[Finch]

atleast, it hasnt made it on the endangerd species list yet as far as i know, bit thats not saying much


lots of things that should be on the endangerd species list arnt for one reason or another

 

[Starman]

no, not Carnivorous.
Slipper orchids(Cyprepedium, Paphiopedilum and Phragmepedium) do the same, they trap insects in their pouch to ensure pollination.

 

[Clint]

Nepenthes aristolochioides is named after it i think.i think aristolochia grows near/with it, and one probably evolved to mimic the other. the nep. prolly evolved to mimic the aristolochia.

 

[Finch]

Quote[/b] ]Nepenthes aristolochioides is named after it i think.i think aristolochia grows near/with it, and one probably evolved to mimic the other. the nep. prolly evolved to mimic the aristolochia.

it lives in the grasslands of texas...

 

[Clint]

are you sure about that? i'm sure one aristolochia lives near the nep.

heard it on this forum somewhere

 

[Clint]

http://www.nepenthesgarden.com/aristolochioides.htm

 

[Finch]

hehehe, no... Aristolochia is the genus containing the dutchmans pipes, the species name in question is longiflora.

if u followed my link u would have clarly seen :alternate name: texas black flower. one oth the pictures says "its foliage blends in well with the native grasses..."

 

[Clint]

auctually i was talking about the genus lol.

i didn't err, auctually click the link