From a plant that looks like a poisonous snake
to a deadly species that can catch rats and lizards these are 12 most terrifying carnivorous
plants in the world! 12. Dionaea Muscipula
Dionaea Muscipula, also known as a Venus flytrap, is probably the most well-known carnivorous
plant in the world. Native to subtropical wetlands on the East
Coast of the United States in North Carolina and South Carolina, this terrifying plant
catches insects and spider with a trapping structure formed by the terminal portion of
each of the plant's leaves, which is triggered by tiny hairs on their inner surfaces. The edges of the trap are fringed by stiff
hair-like protrusions which intertwine together to prevent large prey from escaping. When an insect or spider comes in contact
with a hair, the trap prepares to close, snapping shut only if another contact occurs within
approximately twenty seconds of the first strike. Triggers may occur if just one-tenth of the
insect is within contact. If the prey is unable to escape, it will continue
to stimulate the inner surface of the trap, which causes a further growth response that
forces the edges of the trap together, eventually sealing it hermetically and forming a "stomach"
in which digestion occurs. Release of the digestive enzymes is controlled
by the same hormones that trigger the release of toxins as an anti-herbivore defense mechanism
in non-carnivorous plants. The Dionaea diet is 33% ants, 30% spiders,
10% beetles, and 10% grasshoppers, with fewer than 5% flying insects. 11. Aldrovanda vesiculosa
Aldrovanda vesiculosa, commonly known as the waterwheel plant, is a rootless, aquatic plant
that captures small water invertebrates using traps similar to those of the Venus flytrap. The traps are arranged in whorls around a
central, free-floating stem. These traps, which are twisted so that the
trap openings point outward, are lined on the inside by a fine coating of trigger hairs,
snapping shut in response to contact with small animals and trapping them. The closing of this trap takes 10–20 milliseconds,
which makes the waterwheel one of the fastest-moving plants in the kingdom. Each trap is surrounded by between four and
six 6–8 mm long bristles that prevent triggering of traps by debris in the water. This trapping is only possible in warm conditions
of at least 20 °C. Although it is distributed throughout a vast
territory on all continents of the Old World, from northern Russia to southern Australia,
it grows in limited areas and is rarely observed in the wild as it has very specific requirements
with regards to the quality of its environment. From 379 natural historical populations distributed
throughout 124 regions in 43 countries, this species has declined over the last century
to only 50 confirmed extant locations. Two thirds of these are however found in one
region within Poland and the Ukraine, with the remaining 18 sites thinly spread across
four continents. The species has been confirmed extinct in
Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Bangladesh, India, Japan,
Uzbekistan and East Timor. Before we move on with our list, take a second
to subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss any of the upcoming content! 10. Byblis
Byblis is a small carnivorous plant native to Western Australia. This beautiful, yet deadly plant with elegant
flowers and sparkling leaves that shimmer in the sunlight preys on live. The leaves of Byblis are round in cross section
and highly elongated. The surface of the leaves is densely studded
with hairs which secrete a substance that attracts small insects. Upon touching the sticky secretions, the insects
are ensnared and unless they are strong enough to escape, they either die of exhaustion or
literally suffocate as the sticky substance envelops them and clogs the pores on their
bodies. Like with most carnivorous plants, the digestive
enzymes dissolve the insect’s soft tissues. Besides being carnivorous, Byblis is also
known to form a symbiotic relationship with predatory bugs Hemiptera which live upon the
plant and feed on captured prey. Although the relationship between Byblis and
Hemiptera remains unexplored, it is believed that these insects avoid being trapped by
the sticky hair tips by placing their legs elsewhere on the leaf. 9. Drosera
Drosera, commonly known as the sundews, is one of the largest groups of carnivorous plants,
with at least 194 species. These terrifying plants lure, capture, and
digest insects using stalked secreting glands covering their leaf surfaces. The insects are used to supplement the poor
mineral nutrition of the soil in which the plants grow. Drosera species vary greatly in size and form
and are native to every continent except Antarctica. They’re also one of the longest living carnivorous
plants, able to achieve a lifespan of around 50 years. Both the botanical name derived from the Greek
drosos which means "dew or dewdrops" and the English common name sundew refer to the glistening
drops of fluid at the tip of each tentacle that resemble drops of morning dew. The trapping and digestion mechanism usually
employs two types of glands: stalked glands that secrete sweet substance to attract and
ensnare insects and enzymes to digest them, and sessile glands that absorb the resulting
nutrient soup. Small insects are attracted by the sweet secretions
of the peduncular glands and upon touching them, they become entrapped by sticky substance
which prevents their escape. Eventually, the prey either dies of exhaustion
or is asphyxiated. Death usually occurs within 15 minutes. In the meantime, the plant secretes different
enzymes that dissolve the insect and free the nutrients contained within it. This nutrient mixture is then absorbed through
the leaf surfaces to be used by the rest of the plant. 8. Pinguicula
Pinguicula, also known as the butterworts, is a group of carnivorous plants that use
sticky, leaves to attract, trap, and digest insects. Of the roughly 80 currently known species,
12 are native to Europe, 9 to North America, and some to northern Asia. The largest number of species is in South
and Central America. In order to catch and digest insects, the
leaf of a butterwort uses two specialized glands which are scattered across the leaf
surface. One is called a peduncular gland and consists
of a few secretory cells on top of a single stalk cell which produce a secretion that
forms visible droplets across the leaf surface. This wet appearance probably helps attract
thirsty insects. The droplets secrete limited amounts of digestive
enzymes, and serve mainly to entrap insects. Upon contact with an insect, these glands
release additional secretions from special reservoir cells located at the base of their
stalks. The insect will then begin to struggle, triggering
more glands and encasing itself in the deadly substance. The second type of gland found on butterwort
leaves are sessile glands which lie flat on the leaf surface. Once the prey is entrapped by the peduncular
glands and digestion begins the initial flow of nitrogen triggers enzyme release by the
sessile glands. These enzymes break down the digestible components
of the insect body, which are then absorbed back into the leaf surface. 7. Utricularia
Utricularia is a genus of carnivorous plants consisting of approximately 233 species. They occur in fresh water and wet soil as
terrestrial or aquatic species across every continent except Antarctica. All Utricularia are carnivorous and capture
small organisms with the help of their bladder-like traps. Terrestrial species tend to have tiny traps
that feed on minute prey such as protozoa and rotifers swimming in water-saturated soil. The traps can range in size from 0.2 mm to
1.2 cm. Aquatic species, however, possess bladders
that are usually larger and can feed on bigger prey such as water fleas, nematodes and even
fish fry, mosquito larvae and young tadpoles. Despite their small size, the traps of Utricularia
are extremely sophisticated. In the active traps of the aquatic species,
prey brush against trigger hairs connected to the trapdoor. The bladder, when "set", is under negative
pressure in relation to its environment so that when the trapdoor is mechanically triggered,
the prey, along with the water surrounding it, is sucked into the bladder. Once the bladder is full of water, the door
closes again, the whole process taking only ten to fifteen milliseconds. The bladder traps are recognized as one of
the most unusual and complex structures in the plant kingdom. 6. Heliamphora
The genus Heliamphora contains 23 species of carnivorous plants endemic to South America. Most Heliamphora live on the plateaus of the
table-top mountains in Guyana, Venezuela and Brazil. The species are collectively known as sun
pitchers, based on the notion that the heli of Heliamphora comes from the Greek word helios,
meaning "sun". Heliamphora plants consist of a modified leaf
form that is fused into a tubular shape. They have evolved mechanisms to attract, trap,
and kill insects, and can even control the amount of water in the pitcher. The “soil” in which all these plants grows
is usually nothing more than bits of decomposing dead matter of the various plants themselves,
mixed with grains of sand from the eroded rocks and perhaps some dust that might be
deposited by wind or rain on the surface of the mountain tops. As a result, carnivory in these plants evolved
as a means to improve absorption of available nutrients. Most Heliamphora typically capture ants, while
at least one species has been observed to capture flying insects. 5. Darlingtonia Californica
Darlingtonia californica, also called the California pitcher plant, cobra lily, or cobra
plant, is a species of carnivorous plant, native to Northern California and Oregon growing
in bogs and seeps with cold running water. The name "cobra lily" comes from the resemblance
of its tubular leaves to a rearing cobra, complete with a forked leaf that resembles
fangs or a snake's tongue. Like most carnivorous plants, the cobra lily
is adapted to supplementing its nitrogen requirements through carnivory, which helps to compensate
for the lack of available nitrogen in acidic bogs. The cobra lily is unique among the three genera
of American pitcher plants because it doesn’t trap rainwater in its pitcher. Instead, it regulates the level of water inside
physiologically by releasing or absorbing water into the trap that has been pumped up
from the roots. It was once believed that this variety of
pitcher plant did not produce any digestive enzymes and relied on symbiotic bacteria and
protozoa to break down the captured insects into easily absorbed nutrients. Recent studies have indicated that Darlingtonia
secretes at least one enzyme that digests captured prey. The cells that absorb nutrients from the inside
of the pitcher are the same as those on the roots that absorb soil nutrients. In addition to the use of lubricating secretions
and downward-pointing hairs common to all North American pitcher plants to force their
prey into the trap, this species also carefully hides the tiny exit hole from trapped insects
by curling it underneath and offering multiple translucent false exits. Upon trying many times to leave through these
false exits, the insect will tire and fall down into the trap and the slippery walls
and hairs prevent the trapped prey from escaping. 4. Cephalotus
Cephalotus is a small carnivorous pitcher plant that occurs in southern coastal districts
of the Southwest botanical province in Australia. Like most carnivorous plants, it is commonly
found in wet seepages and it prefers soil that is peaty and sandy, with good drainage. Cephalotus are often found growing in the
partial shade of bushes and grasses in damp, open areas. Sometimes colonies of Cephalotus are found
growing only a few feet away from the ocean on mossy banks with fresh water running through. Unlike most carnivorous plants which grow
only one type of leaf, Cephalotus have two very different types of leaves: the non-carnivorous
leaves and the pitcher leaves. In early spring, non-carnivorous leaves begin
to grow as the days lengthen. Several of these flat, spear-shaped, hairy,
bright-green leaves will emerge from each rosette growth point. These non-carnivorous leaves will last for
about a year and wither just before the new leaves emerge the following spring. The most likely purpose of the non-carnivorous
leaves is to provide a boost in energy from photosynthesis before growing more carnivorous
pitchers. As spring transitions to summer, the carnivorous
pitchers begin forming and slowly inflate to become a pitcher trap. The traps are short and tubby with three hairs
on the lid and three ribs on the front of the pitcher. These three ribs are lined with hairs which
guide insects to the mouth of the plant. The trap has an overhanging collar which makes
any escape attempt from within the pitcher nearly impossible. Any insect struggling to escape will eventually
tire and drown, being slowly dissolved in the digestive fluids. 3. Genlisea
Genlisea, also known as corkscrew plants, is a genus of carnivorous plants distributed
throughout Africa and Central and South America. The plants use highly modified underground
leaves to attract, trap and digest microorganisms. Several species in the genus are known to
possess the smallest known genomes of all flowering plants. Genlisea are small herbs, growing from a slender
rhizome and bearing two distinct leaf types - photosynthetic leaves above ground and highly
modified subterranean leaves used to trap prey. The plants lack roots, although the subterranean
traps perform many of the functions normally performed by roots, such as anchorage and
water absorption. The subterranean traps are white, lacking
chlorophyll or any other pigmentation. They consist of a cylindrical stalk, widening
at some distance below the surface into a hollow cylinder. At this point the stalk divides into two spirals,
between which the cylinder opening acts as the trap entrance. Some species produce two trap forms, one shorter
and one longer, which probably target different prey groups. Since the mid-19th century, people have suggested
that this plant might be carnivorous because of its suspicious slits traps. But insect remains were rarely found inside. Few insects could fit inside anyway. However, in 1998 scientists discovered that
Genlisea mainly feeds on single-celled microorganisms called protozoa. Later on, microscopic studies on trap content
of Genlisea showed that mites, roundworms, and flatworms are also common prey for this
plant. 2. Nepenthes
Nepenthes, also known as tropical pitcher plants, is a group of about 170 carnivorous
plants whose habitat ranges from South China, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to
Madagascar, the Seychelles, Australia, India, and Sri Lanka. The greatest diversity occurs on Borneo, Sumatra,
and the Philippines, with many endemic species. Nepenthes species usually consist of a shallow
root system and a stem, which is often several meters long. From the stems arise alternate, sword-shaped
leaves with entire leaf margins. An extension of the midrib protrudes from
the tip of the leaf and at the end of the tendril the pitcher forms. The pitcher starts as a small bud and gradually
expands to form a globe- or tube-shaped trap. The trap contains a fluid, which may be watery
or syrupy, and is used to drown the prey. Along the upper inside part of the trap is
a slick, waxy coating which makes the escape of its prey nearly impossible, while the lower
part of the trap contains glands which absorb nutrients from captured prey. Prey usually consists of insects, but the
largest species of Nepenthes may even catch small vertebrates, such as rats and lizards! 1. Sarracenia
Sarracenia is a genus comprising 8 to 11 species of North American pitcher plants, commonly
called trumpet pitchers. The plant is known for its unusual leaves
which have evolved into a funnel or pitcher shape in order to trap insects. The plant attracts its insect prey with secretions
on the lip of the pitcher leaves, as well as a combination of the leaves' color and
scent. Crawling insects make their way from the ground
up to the pitcher opening, where they start feeding on the large number of sugary secretions
on the pitcher lip. Having reached the pitcher mouth, animals
are at great risk of falling into the pitcher, and this is of course what happens to a certain,
small fraction of the visitors. Bugs that fall into the pitchers are in serious
trouble, as the inner surface of the pitcher is extremely slippery. The surface is also very narrow, so flying
insects crash back and forth into the pitcher walls and ultimately fall into the pitcher
depths. Deeper into the pitcher, downward-pointing
hairs on the pitcher walls prevent escape by those prey that try to climb to freedom. Which of these plants do you find most terrifying? Let us know in the comment section below and
make sure you subscribe to our channel for more incredible content!
