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Crimson pitcherplant
Sarracenia leucophylla
30.3683, -87.407
Field Notes
Description:
Sarracenia leucophylla is aka as the white-topped pitcher plant that is a stemless herbaceous perennial that grows in full sun. This was the last one I could find that was still partially alive and had color - the rest had died back for the winter. This one was about 18 in. (45.7 cm) tall. These carnivorous plants have Lids that are attractive landing sites for flying insects. Insects are lured to the pitchers by the attractive leaf colors and nectar. Nectar reportedly has a paralyzing effect on insects. Each pitcher is slippery inside, and insects fall down the tube into a digestive juice liquid at the bottom of the pitcher. Insects decompose and nutrients are absorbed.
Habitat:
Spotted in a bog area in pine woods at Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park. Native to mucky soils of sandy bogs and pine savannas in coastal plain areas from south western Georgia, southern Alabama and the Florida panhandle.
Notes:
The plant is a listed vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The greatest threat to S. leucophylla, as is the case with most Sarracenia species, is loss of its unique wetland habitat to development along the Gulf Coast, as well as forest succession that was historically kept in check by natural wildfires.
It is also endangered from being one of the largest and showiest Sarracenia species, and is vulnerable to poachers of living plants and to the cut-floral trade for use in flower arrangements.(Wikipedia)
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