Plant Modifications Leaf Modification in The Cobra Lily (Darlingtonia californica)

Plants adapt themselves to different environmental and climatic conditions with the help of special vegetative and reproductive modifications. Certain plants use some ingenious methods of adaptation for survival in different geographic regions of the earth. Darlingtonia californica commonly known as the Cobra Lily is one such plant. It grows in boggy, water logged conditions with low nitrogen availability. Hence it depends on insects for its nitrogen requirements. The leaves of the plant are modified to form trap  like structures, to capture insects.

Flora or plant - life thrive in different climatic and environmental conditions in all regions of the earth. The abiotic factors, e.g. temperature, relative humidity, soil condition and ultraviolet radiation, may be very different depending on the location on earth and the time of the year. In addition, protection against predators (biotic factor) and intense sunlight may be needed (Radboud University Nijmegen 2005). Plants survive the toughest of climatic conditions with the help of vegetative and reproductive modifications.

The Cobra Lily (Darlingtonia californica)
Darlingtonia californica Torr. (1853) (one species, common name Cobra lily) belongs to the family Sarraceniaceae. This plant occupies boggy habitats in the northwest United States of America (southern Oregon, northern California). They prefer sunshine and dont grow well in shade. Darlingtonia, like other carnivorous plants, grows in areas poor in nitrogen. The leaves of this plant are modified to capture and digest insects to obtain nitrogen. They are tubular the upper part of the leaf is modified for the trapping function. The end of the leaf is hooded.

There is a circular opening through which insects can fly into the hood. The leaves are reddish in color with two flag-like structures, which have glands that secrete sugary nectar this attracts flies and other insects. There are more nectar glands inside the hood.

The hood has many translucent areas, which creates an illusion to the insect that they are openings to fly out. The inside surface of the leaf is waxy and the insect slips down into the tubular area of the leaf. Sharp downwardly-pointing hairs prevent the insect from climbing back up the tube to the hood. Darlingtonia produces a fluid in its trap which aids in digestion of the trapped prey (BSA).

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