Sarraceniaceae

Darlingtonia
Heliamphora
Sarracenia

Sarraceniaceae is the Pitcher plant family, belonging to order Ericales (previously Nepenthales).

Pitcher plants of genus Sarracenia (also called American pitcher plants , or trumpet pitchers ) are carnivorous plants native to North America which use their leaves to capture insects. Each leaf forms a hollow tube, often filled with water. Insects, lured by the scent of nectar, fall in and drown, and digestive enzymes secreted by the plant break it down. These plants grow in nutrient-poor soil and use the insects as a nutritional suppliment. The pitchers originate from a rhizome and die back during the winter dormancy.

There are several species of American pitcher plants, most having tall, narrow pitchers that are vertical or nearly so. The Purple pitcher plant , however, has short, squat, bulbous pitchers close to the ground, and the parrot pitcher plant has pitchers that grow horizontally.

The Northern pitcher plant is the official flower of Newfoundland and Labrador.

References

• Families of Flowering Plants

as of 2002-10-20