pitcher plant

n. Any of various carnivorous plants chiefly of the genera Sarracenia, Nepenthes, and Darlingtonia, having tubular fluid-filled leaves that absorb nutrients from trapped insects.

pitcher plant

n (Plants) any of various insectivorous plants of the genera Sarracenia, Darlingtonia, Nepenthes, and Cephalotus, having leaves modified to form pitcher-like organs that attract and trap insects, which are then digested. See also huntsman's-cup

pitch′er plant`

n. any of various insectivorous bog plants of the family Sarraceniaceae, with hooded, pitcher-shaped leaves containing a liquid in which insects are trapped. [1810–20]

Thesaurus

Noun

pitcher plant - any of several insectivorous herbs of the order Sarracenialescarnivorous plant - plants adapted to attract and capture and digest primarily insects but also other small animalsorder Sarraceniales, Sarraceniales - plants that are variously modified to serve as insect traps: families Sarraceniaceae; Nepenthaceae; Droseraceaecommon pitcher plant, huntsman's cup, huntsman's cups, Sarracenia purpurea - perennial bog herb having dark red flowers and decumbent broadly winged pitchers forming a rosette; of northeastern North America and naturalized in Europe especially Irelandhooded pitcher plant, Sarracenia minor - yellow-flowered pitcher plant of southeastern United States having trumpet-shaped leaves with the orifice covered with an arched hoodhuntsman's horn, huntsman's horns, Sarracenia flava, trumpets, yellow pitcher plant, yellow trumpet - pitcher plant of southeastern United States having erect yellow trumpet-shaped pitchers with wide mouths and erect lidsCalifornia pitcher plant, Darlingtonia californica - marsh or bog herb having solitary pendulous yellow-green flowers and somewhat twisted pitchers with broad wings belowsun pitcher - any of several herbs of Guiana highlands having racemes of nodding white or pink flowers; trap and digest insects in pitcher-shaped leaves with spoon-shaped capstropical pitcher plant - any of several tropical carnivorous shrubs or woody herbs of the genus Nepenthes

pitcher plant

pitcher plant,

any of several insectivorous plants with leaves adapted for trapping insects. Each leaf forms a "pitcher," a somewhat trumpet-shaped enclosure, usually containing a liquid. An insect that enters, lured by nectar and sometimes by brilliant coloration, is prevented from retreating by deflexed bristles and ultimately is drowned in the fluid. The trapped insects are apparently digested by plant enzymes and perhaps by bacteria present in the collected rainwater solution. There are three families of pitcher plants. The American family (the Sarraceniaceae) comprises three genera of bog plants, Sarracenia of E North America, Darlingtonia of N California and adjacent Oregon (the single species is D. californica), and Heliamphora of N South America. The common pitcher plant, or side-saddle flower (S. purpurea), is found in bogs from Labrador to Florida and Iowa. The Nepenthaceae, an Old World tropical family, ranging from China to Australia and Pacifica and found chiefly in Borneo, consists of the single genus Nepenthes. Many of its species and hybrids, sometimes also called monkey cups, are cultivated as novelties for their large and showy pendent pitchers. The largest pitchers are found in Nepenthes species, some of which are apparently modified to attract small mammals to feed on their nectar so that the pitchers can catch the animals' feces. The Australian pitcher plant (Cephalotus follicularis) is the single species of the family Cephalotaceae. The bottom leaves of its low rosette are modified into brightly colored, slipper-shaped receptacles with lids and teeth. Other insectivorous plants include the bladderwortbladderwort
, any plant of the genus Utricularia, insectivorous or carnivorous aquatic plants, many native to North America. Small animals are caught and digested in bladderlike organs of the finely divided submerged leaves.
..... Click the link for more information. , butterwort, Venus's-flytrapVenus's-flytrap,
insectivorous or carnivorous bog plant (Dionaea muscipula) native to the Carolina savannas and now widely cultivated as a novelty. The leaves, borne in a low rosette, resemble bear traps.
..... Click the link for more information. , and sundew.

pitcher plant

[′pich·ər ‚plant] (botany) Any of various insectivorous plants of the families Sarraceniaceae and Nepenthaceae; the leaves form deep pitchers in which water collects and insects are drowned and digested.

pitcher plant

any of various insectivorous plants of the genera Sarracenia, Darlingtonia, Nepenthes, and Cephalotus, having leaves modified to form pitcher-like organs that attract and trap insects, which are then digested

pitcher plant

noun

Words related to pitcher plant

noun any of several insectivorous herbs of the order Sarraceniales

Related Words

carnivorous plant
order Sarraceniales
Sarraceniales
common pitcher plant
huntsman's cup
huntsman's cups
Sarracenia purpurea
hooded pitcher plant
Sarracenia minor
huntsman's horn
huntsman's horns
Sarracenia flava
trumpets
yellow pitcher plant
yellow trumpet
California pitcher plant
Darlingtonia californica
sun pitcher
tropical pitcher plant