Botany Department

Native to coastal North and South Carolina, this carnivorous, herbaceous perennial grows to a few inches tall. The reniform-orbicular leaf blades of venus's-fly trap secrete nectar which attracts insects to the plant. Each leaf lobe has three sensitive hairs which control the trap. When an insect brushes against one sensetive hair twice, or two hairs in close succession, the trap closes. The insect is then digested by enzymes secreted by the leaves. Under warm temperature and high light intensity the lobes close much faster than under cool and dry conditions. The flower is in umbels of 4-10 and white in color.