These eye-bogglingly beautiful plants are called Nepenthes, and they’re hanging from the awning outside Narcissus on Broughton Street at the moment.
They derive their name from a sorrow-banishing drug (nep=no, penthes=grief) mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey as helping Helen to forget her misfortunes. In his 1737 Hortus Cliffortianus, Linnaeus explained his choice of name:
If this is not Helen's Nepenthes, it certainly will be for all botanists. What botanist would not be filled with admiration if, after a long journey, he should find this wonderful plant. In his astonishment past ills would be forgotten when beholding this admirable work of the Creator!
There are around 150 species of the genus, which are found in Sri Lanka, South East Asia and Australia. They are carnivorous, feeding mostly on insects but also, in larger examples, rats and lizards.
Prey is attracted by nectar on the underside of the lid, but the slippery surface means some fall off and become trapped by viscoelastic fluid held in the cuplike bud below. Here they are rapidly dissolved and absorbed. The pitcher-perfect murder.
Follow this link for a Nepenthes-curious pet frog called Speedy who was not speedy enough.
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@theSpurtle @NewTownFlaneur What would be the ethics of a vegetarian giving home a carnivorous plant I wonder?
New Town Flaneur @NewTownFlaneur 7h
@N_G_Jones @theSpurtle This thorny issue can be resolved by ensuring your meat-eating plant only eats cabbage flies.
@NewTownFlaneur @theSpurtle Ah, but what if there are slugs in the cabages?
@N_G_Jones @theSpurtle If one of your cabbage flies contains a slug, he would, at the very least, deserve some kind of medal.
@NewTownFlaneur @theSpurtle The flies in Broughton are MUCH bigger that your dainty New Town ones.
New Town Flaneur @NewTownFlaneur 5h
@N_G_Jones @theSpurtle Our effete New Town flies look down on the common Broughton variety.