Trumpet Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia rubra jonesii)
Description
Sarracenia jonesii is a species of pitcher plant discovered by Edgar T. Wherry which is endemic to the bogs in the mountains on the border between North Carolina and South Carolina. It is currently only found in ten locations: 4 in North Carolina and 6 in South Carolina. S. jonesii is listed as endangered by the US federal government Sarracenia jonesii has hollow tubular pitchers that are green in color with maroon veins. It is a stemless herbaceous perennial that requires full sunlight to grow. Flowers are usually maroon, 5-petaled and globular and produce a fragrant odor. The pitchers produced are narrow with a horizontal lid to prevent too much rain water from entering the tube. The pitcher attracts flies and other small insects to feed on it, luring them with colorful leaves and sweet smells. The sides of the pitcher are waxy and slippery, which prevents insects from escaping once trapped. The nectar paralyzes the insects and digestive fluids in the tubular leaf decompose the insect which allows the plant to then absorb nutrients. The plant ranges in height from 21–73 cm. The fragrant flowers are borne singly on erect scales from April to June, with seed set occurring in August.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Ericales
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Family: Sarraceniaceae
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Genus: Sarracenia
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