The Curious World of Carnivorous Plants: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Biology and Cultivation

by Stefan Porembski, Rudiger Seine, Wilhelm Barthlott, et al.

Plants that trap and eat animals: an amazing phenomenon that has inspired awe since before the days of Darwin. The victims may be flies and butterflies, small crustaceans, or even vertebrates the size of rats. Lured into the danger zone by optical, tactile, and olfactory strategies, the prey succumb to ingenious traps and face their doom. But unlike plants that temporarily catch insects for pollination, the true carnivores go considerably further: they digest them for the nutrients they need to survive in extremely inhospitable sites on land and in water. Anyone captivated by the unearthly beauty of the "flowers of evil" will treasure this stunning, encyclopedic exploration, which also includes animal-trapping mosses and fungi, as well as advice for growing and buying carnivorous plants and an extensive international bilbliography. It is an essential reference for hobbyist, naturalist, and collector alike.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0881927929
• ISBN13: 9780881927924
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Timber Press (OR)
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 2.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.9" x 10.5"

Customer Reviews

Carnivorous Plants Book

This book is fantastic. I was looking for a book with with the ecology of carnivorous plants, their physiology, and their cultivation. I got all the information I needed. :) Great book with great pictures.

The Best Comprehensive Guide to Carnivorous Plants

This book covers all the basic aspects of Carnivorous Plants from their taxonomy, through ecology, physiology and evolution to how to grow them. I would say it is the one essential text for all enthusiasts. The text is illustrated with many amazing photographs and micro-photographs. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It even makes a fascinating coffee table book for the uninitiated.