Tag: carnivorous

Drosera Venusta has stalked glands that secrete sweet mucilage to attract and
ensnare insects and enzymes to digest them, and sessile glands that absorb the resulting nutrient soup. Insects and small prey are attracted by the sweet
secretions of the peduncular glands. Upon touching these, the prey
become entrapped by sticky mucilage which prevents their progress or
escape. Eventually, the prey either succumb to death through exhaustion
or through asphyxiation as the mucilage envelops them and clogs their spiracles.

Chilean carnivorous plant could kill you
Studies of the components of the Chilean species, Aristolochia chilensis
confirmed the damage attributed to the ingestion of aristolochic acid
in plants of the genus Aristolochia, plant and component consumed as
“natural medicine” throughout the world.

Aristolochic acids are responsible for causing major
damage than caused by smoke nicotine or ultraviolet radiation in
relation to its ability to produce multiple mutations in hundreds or
even thousands of genes, many more than any other carcinogen. These
qualities led him to become the “greatest genotoxic agent discovered" the danger of the compounds can cause mutations associated with tumors of the urinary tract, kidneys and liver.

The aristolochic acid has been – and continues to be – used for the
treatment of eczema, acne, liver symptoms, arthritis, and chronic pain.


Reference: Ling
Poon, 2013 Genome-Wide Mutational Signatures of Aristolochic Acid and
Its Application as a Screening Tool. Sci Transl Med 7 August 2013.
Photo: Diego Almendras