Utricularia Furcellata, an exceptionally uncommon carnivorous plant species has been found in the western Himalayan region for the first time. It was detected by a research team of the Uttarakhand Forest Department in Mandal valley situated in the Chamoli region.
This carnivorous plant belongs to a genus which is commonly known as bladderworts. It utilizes one of the most modern and developed plant structures for trap and the objectives range from protozoa to bugs, mosquito larvae and young tadpoles. To draw the prey inside the secret entrance it used the mechanical method by making a vacuum or negative pressure area. Carnivorous plants are found mostly in fresh water and wet soil. They have a different way of arranging food and nourishment through intelligent trap machines when contrasted with the photosynthesis method of ordinary plants.
The team has published the discovery in the prestigious ‘Journal of Japanese Botany’. It is a 106-year-old journal on plant taxonomy and botany and is considered as the finest in the field. Because of their possible medicinal benefits carnivorous plants that generally grow on poor nutrient soil, have excited interest in the scientific community.
