You have heard about several insectivorous plants that feed on insects. Nepenthes or the pitcher plant is one such example, which usually growsin shallow water or in marsh lands. What part of the plant is modified into a ‘pitcher’? How does this modification help the plant for food even though it can photosynthesize like any other green plant?

Question

You have heard about several insectivorous plants that feed on insects. Nepenthes or the pitcher plant is one such example, which usually growsin shallow water or in marsh lands. What part of the plant is modified into a ‘pitcher’? How does this modification help the plant for food even though it can photosynthesize like any other green plant?

Philoid · Accepted Answer

Leaves are often modified to perform functions other than photosynthesis. Leaves of certain insectivorous plants such as pitcher plant, venus-fly trap are also modified leaves. In pitcher plant, the leaf is modified into pitcher. The pitcher plant can’t photosynthesize like other green plants so it get its food from the insects as these insects are good source of Nitrogen for the insectivorous plants.