7. Nepenthe Apr 2026

, commonly known as tropical pitcher plants or "monkey cups," is a genus of roughly 170 species of carnivorous plants primarily native to the Old World tropics. These plants have evolved highly specialized leaf modifications called pitfall traps to survive in nutrient-poor, acidic soils by capturing and digesting insects. Anatomy and Trapping Mechanisms

The "pitcher" is not a flower but a modified leaf lamina. It begins as a small bud at the end of a tendril extending from the leaf midrib and gradually expands into its characteristic globe or tube shape. 7. Nepenthe