Roridula
Encyclopedia
Roridula is a South Africa
n genus of plant
s that, whilst having many of the adaptations of a carnivorous plant
, such as the possession of insect
-trapping sticky hairs, does not directly digest the animal
s it traps. Instead, it has a mutualistic relationship with Pameridea roridulae, a species of capsid bug, which lives on the plant and feeds on the trapped insects. The plant obtains nutrients from the droppings of this symbiotic
insect. Whether this plant is regarded as carnivorous or protocarnivorous
is essentially a matter of semantics. The genus contains just two species, Roridula gorgonias
Planch. and Roridula dentata
L., and is the only genus in the family Roridulaceae.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n genus of plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s that, whilst having many of the adaptations of a carnivorous plant
Carnivorous plant
Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants appear adapted to grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients, especially nitrogen, such as acidic...
, such as the possession of insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
-trapping sticky hairs, does not directly digest the animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s it traps. Instead, it has a mutualistic relationship with Pameridea roridulae, a species of capsid bug, which lives on the plant and feeds on the trapped insects. The plant obtains nutrients from the droppings of this symbiotic
Symbiosis
Symbiosis is close and often long-term interaction between different biological species. In 1877 Bennett used the word symbiosis to describe the mutualistic relationship in lichens...
insect. Whether this plant is regarded as carnivorous or protocarnivorous
Protocarnivorous plant
A protocarnivorous plant , according to some definitions, traps and kills insects or other animals but lacks the ability to either directly digest or absorb nutrients from its prey like a carnivorous plant...
is essentially a matter of semantics. The genus contains just two species, Roridula gorgonias
Roridula gorgonias
Roridula gorgonias is a protocarnivorous plant native to South Africa....
Planch. and Roridula dentata
Roridula dentata
Roridula dentata is a protocarnivorous plant native to South Africa.It can be found only in the hotter and more arid inland at the mountains of Clanwilliam and Tulbagh' Ceres and can grow up to more than 150 cm. The leaves are covered with sticky hairs and produce a glue, enabling it to catch...
L., and is the only genus in the family Roridulaceae.
Misassigned taxa
- Roridula arabica Roem. & Schult. (1818) [=Cleome droserifolia]
- Roridula droserifolia (Delile) Forsk. (1775) [=Cleome droserifolia]
- Roridula tetrandra Vitm. (1790) [=Cleome droserifolia]