Monday, August 24, 2009

Rodent Eating Plant Found in The Philippines

There are a fair amount of carnivorous plants, but up until they were all though to target insects. If a plant captured a small rodent it was more of an anomalous treat then a successful strategy. A newly discovered pitcher plant named 'Nepenthes attenboroughii' appears to purposely and successfully target rats and other small rodents. It is the largest of the know varieties of the plant.



Picture at the source.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/6041241/Rat-eating-plant-discovered-in-Philippines.html



"The plant is among the largest of all pitchers and is believed to be the largest meat-eating shrub, dissolving rats with acid-like enzymes.



The team of botanists, led by British experts Stewart McPherson and Alastair Robinson, found the plant on Mount Victoria in the Philippines.

...

The team, which found the plant in 2007 following a two-month expedition, published details of their discovery in the Botanical Journal of Linnean Society earlier this year following a three-year study of all 120 species of pitcher plant. They decided to name the plant Nepenthes attenboroughii, after the wildlife broadcaster Sir David.



"My team and I named it in honour of Sir David whose work has inspired generations toward a better understanding of the beauty and diversity of the natural world," added Mr McPherson."

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