Pitcher plant

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/pitcher-plant

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Genera include Nepenthes, Sarracenia, Cephalotus, Darlingtonia, and Heliamphora
2. What is a pitcher plant and how does it catch bugs?A pitcher plant has a special leaf that forms a hollow cup. It lures insects with sweet nectar, then the slippery walls keep them from escaping, and they drown in digestive fluid that breaks them down.
3. Why do pitcher plants eat insects?The soil where they grow is low in nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus. Eating insects gives the plants the extra food they need to grow and survive.

Oligotrophic: Describing an environment, especially a body of water, that is poor in nutrients and minerals.
Peristome: The lip or edge of the pitcher opening, often modified to attract prey and aid in trapping.
Convergent evolution: The independent evolution of similar features in species of different lineages.