Pitcher Plants   GENUS Sarracenia

Sarracenia flava

This is a tall pitcher plant with leaves often reaching 100 cm or more. The common names for this species include yellow trumpet and huntsman's horn. The plants are found in the western Florida panhandle, southern Georgia, all the way northward to South Carolina and North Carolina. Flowering season varies depending on locale, starting in as early as mid_March in Florida and May in North Carolina. S. flava exhibits a wide infraspecific variation. The picture below shows S. flava var. rugelii growing in the Florida panhandle. This variety is characterized by a deep, maroon color of the pitcher throat.  

When the trigger hairs on the inner surface of the trap lobes are stimulated, the clam-shell-shaped trap closes suddenly --- often in less than a half second --- fast enough to capture such agile insects as a fly quite comfortably. Intermeshing marginal spines effectively prevent the prey's escape. After the initial rapid closure, the insect's struggle inside the trap further stimulates the trigger hairs, causing the trap lobes to close even more tightly.  In a day or so, the trap is seen tightly sealed around the free margins of the lobes, with the marginal spines pointing outwardly. The digestive fluids start to ooze into the now sealed trap cavity. As the digestive process progresses, the products of dige

ermeshing marginal spines effectively prevent the prey's escape. After the initial rapid closure, the insect's struggle inside the trap further stimulates the trigger hairs, causing the trap lobes to close even more tightly.  In a day or so, the trap is seen tightly sealed around the free margins of the lobes, with the marginal spines pointing outwardly. The digestive fluids start to ooze into the now sealed trap cavity. As the digestive p

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