3 ms·

A carnivorous plant that traps prey underground

104 points by FeaturelessBug 4y ago

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
elevaet 4y ago
On a similar note in subterranean carnivory, there are fungi that specialize in snaring nematodes: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematophagous_fungus https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematophagous_fungus
- dhosek 4y ago
  I was thinking of that exact same thing. I remember learning about that in fourth grade and excitedly describing it to my teacher at the time who gave me a hug¹ in imitation of the fungus. ⸻ 1. This was in 1978 during the era in which it was not only allowed for schools to administer corporal punishment, but expected, so this sort of teacher-student contact wasn’t outside the bounds of unexpected behavior. (As for the fact that I remember it, I think I’ve realized as my kids have been going through grade school that I have a remarkably detailed memory of my own K-8 years even though they’re 40+ years in the past).
  - popcube 4y ago
    this is so sadly that you think you need to explain this ...
Tagbert 4y ago
My neighbor recently found that a young raccoon had gotten stuck in the bamboo next to their house and died. He pulled it out and buried it but we were joking that the bamboo had turned carnivorous. Now, I’m wondering…
- sh4rks 4y ago
  That sounds like good old natural selection to me
- anitil 4y ago
  I've heard someone describe brambles as partially carnivorous because they trap animals (typically sheep) by entanglement, which then die and fertilise the area
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
trashcan 4y ago
On a tangentially related note, there are some carnivorous plants that have evolved away from carnivory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepenthes_ampullaria https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepenthes_ampullaria > Nepenthes ampullaria has largely moved away from carnivory and acquires a substantial portion of its nutrients from digesting leaf matter that falls to the forest floor. It is thus partially detritivorous.
schappim 4y ago
Off topic: I posted the exact same URL two days ago[1]. If I post the same URL again, it gets marked as a dupe. @dang is there an expiry on dupes? [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31952639 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31952639
aryehof 4y ago
The title is be misleading. I had visions of entering a cave and a plant preventing me from leaving. It should read “A carnivorous plant that traps underground prey”.
- stingraycharles 4y ago
  I’d say that the title is a bit ambiguous, but I wouldn’t call it misleading, I’m almost certain that there wasn’t any attempt to mislead here. And just to add a datapoint, for me it was perfectly clear what the article would be about.
tragomaskhalos 4y ago
Something disturbing about those pitchers, definite 'invasion of the bodysnatchers' vibes.
kjgkjhfkjf 4y ago
The pitcher mechanism is a miracle of evolution. The plant deploying it below the soil line perhaps not so much.
fillskills 4y ago
And we still look for aliens on other planets…
notduncansmith 4y ago
Netflix PR really going the extra mile with this subliminal ad for Stranger Things.
yawnxyz 4y ago
Does seeing this headline also trigger memories of that one X-Files episode for anyone else too?? Spoilers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_Trip_(The_X-Files) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_Trip_(The_X-Files)
SaulJLH 4y ago
I want one of these, but my lame country has super strict quarantine laws. Does anyone know of some excellent resources for; SEAsian/Australasian/Oceanian carnivorous plants?

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

On a similar note in subterranean carnivory, there are fungi that specialize in snaring nematodes: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematophagous_fungus https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematophagous_fungus

dhosek 4y ago
I was thinking of that exact same thing. I remember learning about that in fourth grade and excitedly describing it to my teacher at the time who gave me a hug¹ in imitation of the fungus. ⸻ 1. This was in 1978 during the era in which it was not only allowed for schools to administer corporal punishment, but expected, so this sort of teacher-student contact wasn’t outside the bounds of unexpected behavior. (As for the fact that I remember it, I think I’ve realized as my kids have been going through grade school that I have a remarkably detailed memory of my own K-8 years even though they’re 40+ years in the past).
- popcube 4y ago
  this is so sadly that you think you need to explain this ...

Tagbert 4y ago

My neighbor recently found that a young raccoon had gotten stuck in the bamboo next to their house and died. He pulled it out and buried it but we were joking that the bamboo had turned carnivorous. Now, I’m wondering…

sh4rks 4y ago
That sounds like good old natural selection to me
anitil 4y ago
I've heard someone describe brambles as partially carnivorous because they trap animals (typically sheep) by entanglement, which then die and fertilise the area

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

trashcan 4y ago

On a tangentially related note, there are some carnivorous plants that have evolved away from carnivory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepenthes_ampullaria https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepenthes_ampullaria > Nepenthes ampullaria has largely moved away from carnivory and acquires a substantial portion of its nutrients from digesting leaf matter that falls to the forest floor. It is thus partially detritivorous.

schappim 4y ago

Off topic: I posted the exact same URL two days ago[1]. If I post the same URL again, it gets marked as a dupe. @dang is there an expiry on dupes? [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31952639 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31952639

aryehof 4y ago

The title is be misleading. I had visions of entering a cave and a plant preventing me from leaving. It should read “A carnivorous plant that traps underground prey”.

stingraycharles 4y ago
I’d say that the title is a bit ambiguous, but I wouldn’t call it misleading, I’m almost certain that there wasn’t any attempt to mislead here. And just to add a datapoint, for me it was perfectly clear what the article would be about.

tragomaskhalos 4y ago

Something disturbing about those pitchers, definite 'invasion of the bodysnatchers' vibes.

kjgkjhfkjf 4y ago

The pitcher mechanism is a miracle of evolution. The plant deploying it below the soil line perhaps not so much.

fillskills 4y ago

And we still look for aliens on other planets…

notduncansmith 4y ago

Netflix PR really going the extra mile with this subliminal ad for Stranger Things.

yawnxyz 4y ago

Does seeing this headline also trigger memories of that one X-Files episode for anyone else too?? Spoilers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_Trip_(The_X-Files) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_Trip_(The_X-Files)

SaulJLH 4y ago

I want one of these, but my lame country has super strict quarantine laws. Does anyone know of some excellent resources for; SEAsian/Australasian/Oceanian carnivorous plants?