Plant Genus: Genlisea
  
Common Name: The Corkscrew Plant
  
Number of Species: 21
   
Place(s) found naturally: Tropical areas of Africa & South America, Madagascar

Genlisea (Lentibulariaceae)

These carnivorous plants are found in the tropical Africa, Madagascar, and South America. These plant came into cultivation in the 1980's

They related to Pinguicula and more so to Utricularia, but the traps are unlike those of any other carnivorous plant. It's trap grows like a Utricularia, growing under ground about 1inch to 3 inches long The traps start with one stem then into hollow bulblike structure (stomach) then into two pronged corkscrew. The corkscrew structure has a slit down the lenght of the spiral, which is were the tiny creatures come in. The spiral slit has bristly hairs that make the creatures go to the hollow bulblike structure (stomach). This hollow bulblike structure has digestive juices. The plant can be found growing with Drosera and Utricularia. The plants are terrestrials or semiaquatics and the soil is a wet peaty sand. It hard to identify from the plants leaf, so like some Utricularia the flower comes into play. The flower are like Utricularia with colours yellow to violet.

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For more plant information check out Rick Walker's CP Database