International Carnivorous Plant Society

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter Archive

 

Uptake of the amino acid alaninie by digestive leaves: proof of carnivory in the tropical liana Triphyophyllum peltatum (Dioncophyllaceae)

Bringmann, Gerhard and Matthias Wenzel and, Henrick Philipp Bringmann and Jan Schlauer

Carniv. Pl. Newslett. 30(1):15-21
Published 5 March 2001

https://doi.org/10.55360/cpn301.gb612

Download PDF

Summary

The uptake of organic matter by the insect-trapping glandular leaves of the Western tropical African liana Triphyophyllum peltatum (Dioncophyllaceae) is demonstrated for the first time. After feeding carbon-13 labelled L-alanine to the trapping leaves, the label is detected in apical shoot parts and normal (non-trapping) leaves within 2d of application. With this proof of resorption and transport, the carnivorous syndrome of I. peltatum is demonstrated to be complete. The prey composition reveals the glandular leaves of I. peltatum to be traps for flying insects, predominantly.

Keywords: carnivory: prey, Triphyophyllum peltatum

Article Citation

Bringmann, Gerhard and Matthias Wenzel and, Henrick Philipp Bringmann and Jan Schlauer. 2001. Uptake of the amino acid alaninie by digestive leaves: proof of carnivory in the tropical liana Triphyophyllum peltatum (Dioncophyllaceae). Carniv. Pl. Newslett. 30(1):15-21. https://doi.org/10.55360/cpn301.gb612

Page views: 565

 

©2025 International Carnivorous Plant Society      
www.carnivorousplants.org

This page is maintained by John Brittnacher.
Please contact us at our membership website, icps.clubexpress.com.
Privacy: The Carnivorous Plant Newsletter Archive website does not track users.