Carnivorous Plant found in Uttarakhand

  • 28 Jun 2022

An ultra-rare carnivorous plant Utricularia Furcellata has been found in Uttarakhand (in the western Himalayan region) for first time.

  • It was found in Uttarakhand's Mandal valley, Chamoli district, at an altitude of 4,800 feet.
  • The plant was last seen in the country in northeastern Meghalaya state in 1986.
  • The plant belongs to a genus, commonly known as bladderworts, which uses one of the most sophisticated and developed plant structures for trap and its targets range from protozoa to insects, mosquito larvae and even the young tadpoles.
  • Its operation is simply based on a mechanical process that is by creating a vacuum or negative pressure area to draw prey inside the trap door. These plants are mostly found in fresh water and wet soil.
  • The species face threat due to heavy biotic pressure because of being at a tourist spot.