KULINER di Kota Cirebon sangat kaya, tidak hanya empal gentong atau nasi jamblang. Ada satu makanan yang bisa dikatakan hampir “punah” ditelan kemajuan zaman dan perkembangan makanan siap saji. Masyarakat menyebutnya Docang.

Docang adalah makanan khas Cirebon, yang merupakan perpaduan lontong, daun singkong, tauge, dan krupuk putih yang diguyur dengan sayur dage atau tempe gembus yang dihancurkan. Kemudian dikombinasikan dengan parutan kelapa muda.Bila yang membuat kurang terampil, maka hanya akan menghasilkan rasa pahit.

Makanan ini mempunyai rasa khas yang gurih dan nikmat apabila disajikan dalam keadaan panas atau hangat. Sedangkan harga relatif terjangkau semua kalangan.

Biasanya docang disantap untuk mengisi perut di pagi hari. Pada umumnya masyarakat Cirebon dan sekitarnya membeli makanan tersebut sebelum berangkat kerja. Kalau kesiangan sedikit saja, bisa-bisa tidak kebagian. Rata-rata pedagang menjual Docang mulai pukul 06.00 -10.00. Menurut beberapa pedagang docang yang ditemui Warta Kota di Cirebon belum lama ini, kebanyakan mereka meneruskan usaha orangtua. Bisa dikatakan usaha turun temurun.

Seperti yang dilakukan Mang Toha (73). Pria itu sudah berjualan di Gang Rotan I, Karang Getas, Cirebon sejak tahun 1972. Dia mengaku meneruskan usaha sang ayah yang sudah berjualan sejak 1950 di tempat yang sama. Tak mengherankan jika pelanggannya saat ini sudah tiga generasi.

Menurut Mang Toha, docang itu singkatan dari kacang dibodo (dibacem), atau yang dimaksud adalah tempe bungkil. Pembuatan kuah cukup sederhana, gabungan dari kaldu, tempe bungkil dan oncom, salam, serai, jahe, ketumbar, bawang merah dan bawang putih, serta garam.

JANGAN lewatkan jajanan khas tanah Priangan ini jika kebetulan lewat, melintas, atau mampir di Kabupaten Garut. Meski warnanya kurang menarik tapi es berbahan dasar saripati pohon aren (biasa disebut aci) ini punya cita rasa yang unik. Bukan hanya rasa manis, tapi juga rasa gurih dari adonan saripati aren sangat terasa. Bukan hanya untuk menggelontor rasa dahaga, tetapi cita rasa manis gurih itu bikin lidah ingin terus mengecapnya. Minum satu gelas bisa jadi kurang.

Jajanan tradisional yang sederhana ini juga diolah dengan campuran buah alpukat, potongan roti tawar, pacar cina, kelapa muda, dan kolang-kaling. Tak lupa ditambah sedikit susu kental manis. Jadi, muncul rasa yang bermacam-macam.

Terkenalnya es goyobod ini, juga jadi bahasan di sejumlah blog penyuka kuliner. Berbagai macam komentar muncul dan yang pasti, minuman ini selalu diburu saat berkunjung ke Garut. "Pokoknya jangan lupa, kalau ke Garut cari dan nikmati, tuh, es goyobod, yang asli dan mak nyus," ungkap salah seorang blogger penyuka kuliner.

"Kalau ditanya, apa yang khas di Garut, ya ini. Karena, kalau masakan sunda semua kan hampir mirip. Apalagi lalapan dan sambel. Ini masuk ke jenis minuman tradisional, karena awalnya dari Garut. Meski di sejumlah daerah lain, seperti Bandung, Tasikmalaya, dan Ciamis, bahkan Banjar, ada juga yang jual es ini. Tapi, mungkin rasa sudah ada perbedaan sedikit. Karena, ada yang sudah tidak pakai saripati atau aci aren, tetapi diganti tepung kue," tutur Mang Apin, penjual es goyobod generasi ketiga yang berdagang di Alun-alun Garut, kepada Warta Kota beberapa waktu lalu.

Soal adanya sedikit perubahan cita rasa es goyobod yang ada belakangan ini, bagi Apin hal itu wajar-wajar saja. Orang memang suka berkreasi dengan makanan dan minuman tradisional. Bahkan, lanjut Apin, model adonan es goyobod pun ada yang sudah dicampur berbagai jenis buah, salah satu contohnya yang disajikan di restoran dan hotel.

Tak tergantikan

Untuk tetap mendapatkan cita rasa es goyobod asli Garut, yang harus dipertahankan adalah penggunaan saripati atau aci aren. "Itu yang bikin perbedaan rasa. Gurih dan manisnya adalah paduan dari aci aren, kelapa, dan manis dari gula serta susu," jelas Apin, yang sudah mempertahankan usaha es goyobod keluarga hampir 30 tahun.

Adonan aci aren ini memang tidak tergantikan. Rasa gurih yang muncul ketika mengunyah aci aren di mulut, terasa halus sebelum kemudian muncul rasa gurih.

Ini berbeda ketika mengunyah adonan tepung kue atau kanji sebagai pengganti aci aren. Menurut Apin, rasa gurih itu tidak sekuat dan sekental aci aren. "Jika ingin merasakan yang asli, aci aren belum tergantikan. Hanya saja, sekarang mungkin agak sulit cari aci aren. Di pasar kampung pun mulai jarang, kalau ada dan mau banyak, pesan dulu," imbuhnya.

"Bagaimana, ya, namanya rasa, apalagi buat orang yang doyan makan. Susah euy, mau enggak mau kalau rasa orisinil, ya, cari aci aren. Sesuai namanya, goyobod, itu karena sebutan untuk bahan utama, aci aren ini," ungkap Apin.

Yang Asli, Ya, di Alun-alun Garut

Jangan salah pilih, jika ingin mencoba es goyobod asli Garut, mampir saja ke Alun-alun Garut, dekat tembok penjara. Khusus di lokasi itu, hanya ditemukan satu penjual es goyobod, yaitu Es Goyobod Alun-Alun, milik Apin.

Pedagang es goyobod itu, sampai tiga turunan masih mempertahankan keaslian bahan utama aci aren. Cukup merogoh kocek Rp 3.000, segelas es goyobod bisa dinikmati. "Di Garut ini sudah ada belasan orang yang jualan es goyobod, seperti yang tampak mangkal di seberang RSUD Slamet. Tapi, jangan salah, cuma yang di alun-alun paling mantap, dan masih asli banget rasanya," ujar Hanif, warga Cipanas, Garut.

Hanya saja, calon pembeli harus sabar jika ingin merasakan es goyobod Apin. Pembelinya banyak. Maka, saat berkesempatan mampir di Garut, Warta Kota terpaksa antre beberapa menit sebelum bisa melepas kangen pada rasa es situ. Kangen yang sudah ditahan selama 14 tahun, akhirnya terbalaskan.

Saat berkunjung ke Kota Bogor, jangan lupa mencicipi gurihnya soto santan yang banyak dijajakan di sana. Makanan ini seolah menjadi makanan khas Kota Hujan. Rasa yang istimewa akan membuat siapapun ketagihan dan ingin kembali mencicipi.

Meski banyak pedagang yang menjual soto santan, tapi ada yang beda dari Soto Santan Mang Djaja yang ada di Jalan Mawar, Menteng, Bogor. Meski bersantan, namun kuahnya sangat encer.

Tempatnya cukup sederhana, hanya menyewa seperempat halaman rumah seorang keturunan Tionghoa. Karena berada persis di pinggir jalan, maka disekelilingnya ditutupi kain panjang agar tak berdebu.

Uniknya lagi, si penjual menyiapkan makanan di bawah. Hanya menggunakan dua meja kecil – bekas pikulan yang tak dipakai. Pengunjung bisa memilih meja pendek yang berhadapan langsung dengan si pedagang atau di meja yang tinggi.

Sebelum duduk, kita diminta terlebih dahulu untuk memilih isi soto yang akan kita santap. Ada dua baskom yang berisi potongan kikil dan daging. Semua itu diambil dari bagian kaki dan kepala sapi. Terkadang juga tersedia babat, hanya saja jumlahnya tidak terlalu banyak.
"Babat cuma kita sediakan pada akhir pekan, Sabtu atau Minggu. Karena tidak semua orang suka dan kurang baik buat kesehatan. Jadi hanya sebagai selingan saja, ini pun karena ada permintaan dari beberapa pelanggan," kata Sakdik, penerus ketiga dari Warung Soto Santan Mang Djaja ini.

Di baskom tersedia bambu dengan panjang kurang lebih 10 cm untuk menusukkan daging dan kikil yang sudah dipilih. Rata-rata pelanggan yang datang mengambil antara tiga hingga tujuh potong dalam setiap sajian sotonya.

Soto ini memang tidak dijual per porsi, tetapi per potong. Sepotongnya Rp 3.500. Kikil tersebut diletakkan di dalam piring sehingga Sakdik tinggal memotong- memotong jadi lebih kecil. Lantas diberikan taburan daun seledri dan bawang goreng, kemudian disiram dengan kuah santan yang tidak terlalu kental. Sedangkan nasi putihnya disajikan di piring terpisah.

Taburan emping melinjo atau emping jengkol juga akan ditaburkan. Harga sebungkus emping Rp 2.000. Tapi sebelumnya Sakdik akan menanyakan pelanggan, apakah ingin memakai emping tersebut. "Karena ada pelanggan yang memang tidak suka atau memang tidak boleh makan emping lagi dengan alasan kesehatan. Makanya saya selalu tanyakan dulu sebelum menaburkannya," ujar ayah tiga anak ini.

Perlu diketahui juga, kuah santan soto ini tidak menggunakan bumbu penyedap rasa. Air kaldu rebusan dari kaki sapi sudah membuat kuahnya begitu gurih. Tapi buat mereka yang memang menyukai rasa asin, sebaiknya menambah garam sendiri agar kuah makin terasa sedap.
Sebagai penyempurna, bisa ditambah cuka atau jeruk limau. Tapi semenjak dahulu, para pelanggangan lama Soto Mang Djaja ini hanya suka dengan tambahan cuka.

Warung ini hanya buka pada pagi hari, mulai pukul 06.00-10.00, lewat jam itu, bisa-bisa tak kebagian. Tapi itu pun tergantung situasi, terkadang kalau sedang sepi hingga pukul 12.00 pun masih buka.

Sakdik mulai memasak kepala dan kaki sejak pukul 14.00. Untuk mendapatkan kikil yang tidak berbau, dibutuhkan proses pencucian dan pemasakan yang cukup lama. Karena tidak terlalu percaya pada pedagang daging tersebut, Sakdik lebih memilih untuk membersihkan sendiri bagian kepala dan kaki. Pencuciannya bisa sampai tiga kali. Setelah itu barulah direbus kurang lebih tiga jam. Sedangkan untuk kuahnya dibuat dadakan sebelum subuh.

Setiap hari, warung soto ini membutuhkan 12 kg daging dan kikil bagian kepala, 4 kg bagian kulit dan empat kaki sapi. Kecuali untuk akhir pekan kebutuhannya meningkat menjadi 17 kg.
Sedangkan untuk nasinya diperlukan 17-18 liter per hari dan kelapa untuk santan 14-15 butir. Kelapa yang digunakan adalah jenis tasik yang lebih wangi. Ketika kuah soto sudah matang, kuahnya masih mengental, beberapa pelanggan ada yang suka dengan kuah kental. Tetapi lama kelamaan menjadi encer dengan sendirinya.

Tiga generasi
Soto Santan H Djaja sudah ada sejak tahun 1945, saat itu Saiman (almarhum, kakek Sakdik) berjualan soto dengan berkeliling, lalu mangkal di dekat SMA 5 Bogor. Setelah itu tahun 1965 digantikan oleh sang anak, Djaja, hingga sekarang diteruskan kepada anak ketiganya, Sakdik.

"Bapak terkadang masih suka datang ke warung tapi cuma menunggu saja, maklum, sudah tua, tapi Alhamdulillah masih sehat," tutur Sakdik anak ketiga dari tujuh bersaudara. Sakdik baru diajarkan memasak soto selepas SMA. Namun tidak langsung berhasil. Ia pernah dikomplain, ketika mencoba membuat bumbu, oleh pelanggan karena rasa yang berbeda.

"Alhamdulillah sekarang sudah bisa dan rasanya tetap sama seperti yang pernah dibuat kakek. Bahkan pelanggan dari zaman kakek yang dulunya masih anak-anak sampai sudah punya anak lagi juga masih suka datang ke sini," imbuhnya.

Salah satu pelanggan, Sardiman (60), sudah langganan Soto Mang Djaja ini sejak masih muda. Kebetulan ia memang penyuka soto dan semua jenis soto yang dijajakan di Bogor sudah dicoba. "Setiap soto punya kekhasan sendiri, tetapi kalau saya kangen dan ingin makan soto santan selalu balik ke sini," ujarnya. Para pelanggan soto ini tidak saja datang dari Bogor dan sekitarnya tetapi juga Jakarta, Bekasi hingga Bandung.

Tak jarang pelanggan yang datang membeli soto untuk dibawa pulang, meski sudah makan di tempat. Namun Sakdik tidak menerima pesanan dalam jumlah besar, seperti untuk pesta atau arisan. Alasannya, cukup kewalahan untuk melayani pelanggan sehari-hari.

Di sela-sela kesibukan meracik soto, sesekali Sakdik bergurau dengan para pelanggan. Menurutnya, hal itu merupakan satu-satunya obat untuk menghalau kelelahan. Bayangkan saja dalam waktu empat jam, tangan Sakdik tidak henti memotong kikil dan menyiapkan soto. Beruntung, ia dibantu adiknya yang bertugas mengantarkan hidangan tersebu.

Farah Quinn, celebrity chef yang populer dengan kalimat ”This is it!” saat hidangan telah siap disajikan, selalu terlihat menikmati ritual memasak. Menurut dia, memasak memang tidak lagi sekadar menjadi hobi atau pekerjaan semata.

Farah membeberkan rahasia memasak seru seusai acara ”Cooking with Style” yang dihelat oleh Tupperware di Four Seasons Hotel, Kamis (24/2/2010).

1. Hemat uang dan kesehatan keluarga terjaga
Menurut Farah, dengan memasak kita bukan saja bisa menghemat pengeluaran, tapi juga mengontrol berapa banyak kalori dan kolesterol yang diasup oleh suami dan anak kita. ”Sehingga kalau anak atau suami kita mulai gemuk, kita tahu ada yang salah dengan menu yang kita hidangkan,” ujar perempuan berdarah Palembang itu.

2. Sebagai ritual pelepas penat
Bagi Farah, memasak lebih dari sekadar pekerjaan atau hobi. Ia dan suaminya, Carson Quinn, melepas penat setelah seharian bekerja dengan masuk ke dapur dan memasak. Selain itu, memasak bersama suami juga bisa membangun komunikasi yang hilang selama kita bekerja. ”Pokoknya saat masak pikiran yang mumet jadi hilang dan hanya fokus ingin masakan jadi enak,” ujar ibu dari Armand Fauzan Quinn itu.

3. Memasak yang ”easy” dan simpel
Jika ingin menjadi ahli memasak, atau profesional di bidang kuliner, yang Anda harus lakukan adalah menguasai resep-resep dasar bahan masakan. Jika resep dasar sudah dikuasai, otomatis Anda akan bisa berkreativitas dengan masakan Anda.

”Tidak ada batasan dalam memasak, sah-sah saja berkreasi tanpa harus mengikuti resep yang paten,” ujar perempuan bertinggi badan 172 cm itu. Masaklah yang mudah dan cepat, tidak perlu menghabiskan berjam-jam untuk memasak karena yang penting adalah rasa.

4. Tetap jaga penampilan saat memasak
Perempuan sering kali tidak mandi dulu sebelum memasak atau hanya menggunakan pakaian seadanya (seperti daster) karena mempertimbangkan suasana memasak yang penuh dengan asap. Cara ini tidak akan mengundang suami untuk ikut beraktivitas di dapur.

”Suami saya tidak suka lihat saya pakai daster, jadi saya memasak tetap dengan high heels dan pakaian seperti celana pendek dan kaus,” ujarnya membocorkan rahasia. High heels mungkin sedikit lebay jika Anda memasak di dapur kotor, tapi kaus dan celana pendek? Hm... boleh juga!

5. Jangan memasak berlebihan
Menurut Farah, sering sekali rasa makanan jadi tidak karuan karena kita memasukkan bermacam-macam bumbu. ”Ibu saya juga sering begitu, jadi rasa masakan tidak pas. Pertimbangkan penggunaan bumbu, jangan sampai overcooked,” ungkap Farah.

Lalu, bagaimana agar rasa masakan tetap sedap tanpa terlalu bereksperimen dengan bumbu? ”Gunakan sedikit garam, lalu tambahkan lemon agar masakan lebih segar, dan... voila! Semua rasa jadi balance,” tukasnya.

6. Makan sehat dan tidak pantang makan
Farah mengaku tidak pernah pantang makan. Bahkan, ia makan lima kali sehari, tiga kali makan utama dan makanan selingan pada pukul 10.00 dan 16.00. Ia pun senang sekali ngemil. Namun, ia memilih cemilan yang sehat, seperti buah dan kacang-kacangan. Kedua jenis cemilan ini, menurut dia, tidak boleh ditinggalkan karena berguna mencegah agar kulit tidak kusam.

Meskipun sering makan, Farah tidak khawatir menjadi gemuk karena selalu mengatur apa saja makanan yang masuk dalam tubuhnya. Ia menghindari makanan berkalori tinggi dan menggantinya dengan protein.

Outer and inner membranes: protective coverings that keep chloroplast structures enclosed.

Stroma: dense fluid within the chloroplast. Site of conversion of carbon dioxide to sugar.

Thylakoid: flattened sac-like membrane structures. Site of conversion of light energy to chemical energy.

Grana: dense layered stacks of thylakoid sacs. Sites of conversion of light energy to chemical energy.

Chlorophyll: a green pigment within the chloroplast. Absorbs light energy.

Introduction Rosary pea has been widely used in Florida as an ornamental plant for many years. The native range of rosary pea is India and parts of Asia, where this plant is used for various purposes. The roots of this plant are used to induce abortion and relieve abdominal discomfort. The seeds of this plant are so uniform in size and weight that they are used as standards in weight measurement. The seeds can also be used to make jewelry. Interestingly, one of the most deadly plant toxins, abrin, is produced by rosary pea (Abrus precatorius). Studies have shown that as little as 0.00015% of toxin per body weight will cause fatality in humans (a single seed). Interestingly, birds appear to be unaffected by the deadly toxin as they have been shown to readily disperse rosary pea seed.

Rosary pea is a small, high climbing vine with alternately compound leaves, 2-5 inches long, with 5 to 15 pairs of oblong leaflets. A key characteristic in identifying rosary pea is the lack of a terminal leaflet on the compound leaves. The flowers are small, pale, and violet to pink, clustered in leaf axils. The fruit is characteristic of a legume. The pod is oblong, flat and truncate shaped, roughly 1½ - 2 inches long. This seedpod curls back when it opens, revealing the seeds. The seeds are small, brilliant red with a black spot. These characteristics give the plant another common name of crab’s eyes.

Impacts

Rosary pea is found throughout central and southern Florida, including Marion, Lake, Palm Beach, and Manatee counties. All together, rosary pea has been collected from 27 counties throughout Florida. Undisturbed pinelands and hammocks are often invaded by Abrus. The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council considers rosary pea a category 1 invasive species due to its ability to invade and displace native plant communities. Characteristic of a vining plant, rosary pea can grow over small trees and shrubs. Roots grow very deeply onto the ground and are very difficult to remove. Fire encourages the growth of Rosary pea.

Management

Preventative:

Regular monitoring and rouging of plants can prevent the spread and establishment of rosary pea. Programs to educate homeowners on proper plant identification will also reduce the spread of this species.

Cultural:

Native alternatives to rosary pea for use in home landscaping or natural areas include leather flower (Clematis crispa) or Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens).

Mechanical:

Hand-pulling and removal of entire plants, particularly the roots, is practical for small infestations. Aggressive tillage is an option and very effective, but impractical in many areas. Fire provides only temporary control.

Biological:

There are no known biological agents for rosary pea.

Chemical:

Timing of application is critical to effectiveness; with applications in the fall prior to seed set being the most effective. Triclopyr is effective as a cut-stump treatment on large woody vines immediately after the vines are cut down. Triclopyr amine or glyphosate can be applied to the foliage at 3-5% or 1-3%, respectively.

The North American pitcher plants (Sarracenia) are divided into two groups: the northern pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea), in the northern United States and adjacent Canada, and the southeastern pitcher plants. Sarracenia alata is one of the southeastern pitcher plants, and can be found from eastern Texas to Mississippi. Here's a picture of it near Mobile, Alabama. At first glance, one only sees the pines, and pine forests in areas of white sand that stay wet in the summertime are habitats for most of the southeastern pitcher plants.

If you're looking for Sarracenia alata, you want to look for areas of pine forest. Not dense pine forest, but pine forest with meadow-like openings in it. These areas are waterlogged even in summertime because there are dense soils (clays, for example) underneath the white sand, so that water forms shallow pools or isn't far beneath the surface. These areas are acid--pines are good indicators of acid). And these boggy areas are poor in nutrients, notably nitrogen. The pitcher plants can get enough nitrogen from digesting insects to make up for the lack of nitrogen in the soil. Each tubular pitcher (leaf) contains a small pool of water, which contains insect-digesting chemicals (enzymes) at the bottom of the tube.

Here we see a flower and three leaves of Sarracenia alata. The leaf at left hasn't opened yet. The leaf in the middle is seen from the front. Notice the light green zone like a V at the mouth of the pitcher--that's where an insect lands and begins its exploration of the pitcher. It's looking for nectar droplets on the inside of the hood of the pitcher. Extending down from the V is a dark narrow fold that represents the margins of the leaf--as though they were sewn together like the seam in a cushion. The word "alata" in Latin means "winged," and this narrow wing on the front of the pitcher gives the plant its name. The leaf at the right is seen from the side, and we can see that the tip of the leaf forms a hood that overarches the mouth of the pitcher. The hood helps guide the insect to climb down into the tube, and it may also prevent rainwater from diluting the digestive fluid in the pitcher.

RAP TYPE: Pitfall Trap

A common plant in the bogs of the northeastern part of North America is Sarracenia purpurea (pitcher plant, Figure 1). Although its large leaves resemble tall pitchers partially filled with water, they are also good mimics of flowers, and it is the latter trait that fools both insects and humans. Although humans have nothing to fear if they try to smell the false flowers, flies easily become victims of the pitfall trap when they seek potential food inside. As the summer season progresses, the leaves become purplish red from the presence of anthocyanins, making them a lure to flies who are probably also attracted by the decaying amino acid odor of already trapped prey. Once the fly enters the hollow leaf, it confronts a waxy surface leading to a pool of water. Although a fly can often escape the surface of water, the pitcher plant reduces its chances by supplying a wetting agent that wets the fly's wings and prevents it from flying. Even if the fly succeeds in escaping the surface of the water, it is confronted by the steep sides of the leaf and, being unable to fly straight up like a helicopter, is forced to crash into the walls of the leaf. We have all seen flies climb the walls of our houses, but this leaf wall is somewhat more challenging.

The lower part of zone 3, (in Figure 3) is waxy and very slippery. The fly's feet soon slide like stepping onto a newly waxed floor in your sock feet. But if the fly does succeed in passing above that waxy zone, it is confronted with downward pointing hairs (Figure 4) in zone 1 (Figure 3), again preventing escape. Eventually the exhausted fly succumbs to the solution at the bottom of the leaf and the low pH slowly digests its tissues.

The plant seems to contribute little to the digestion process, but bacteria living in the pitcher provide digestive enzymes. Trapping of ants can be important to the digestion process as well. Along the outer edge of the leaf is a flat flange (Figure 5) that provides a trail of a sweet nectar-like substance leading to the opening of the pitcher. Ants often follow this trail and enter the pitcher, getting trapped in a manner similar to that of the fly.

Since ants are common in the Sphagnum hummocks of a bog, it is not too surprising that this plant is attractive to them. The abundant Sphagnum is certainly not one of their food plants. Once inside the pitcher (Figure 6), the ant dies and decays, thus releasing the formic acid made by the ant (formic acid results in the nasty stings some ants can cause). The formic acid contributes further to the digestive process, making the pH as low as 2.0. For Sarracenia in the southeastern United States, it appears that mineral nitrogen and phosphorus are not important limiting nutrients (Eleutarius & Jones 1969). However, when Christensen (1976) fed insects to one species, the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in the leaf tissue was significantly higher than in controls. But pitcher plants are not only captors, they are also hosts to a variety of small organisms.

Several species of mosquito larvae complete their larval stage here, exiting to the surrounding moss to live out the pupal stage. A slightly larger inhabitant, the larva of the blowfly, Sarcophaga sarraceniae, spends its larval life deep at the bottom of the tube where it enjoys the decaying parts of the captive prey. When it matures to form the pupal stage, it likewise leaves the pitcher to pupate among the surrounding moss. But as an adult, it returns to the pitcher plant, this time to steal nectar from the flower and at the same time to pollinate it. Small organisms are not the only ones to inhabit these pitchers. Small frogs sit and wait in some species, taking advantage of the flies that are attracted by the odor.

The pitcher plant has not only unique leaves, but very strange flowers as well (Figure 7). Its petals are ordinary enough, with a deep burgundy color that attracts flies by looking like raw meat. But that is where its similarity to normal flowers seems to end. The sepals, usually green structures that protect the bud and then become inconspicuous when the flower opens, remain long after the petals fall off. In fact, the petals fall off quickly because they have very narrow attachments. The sepals are leathery and will even last through the snows of a northern winter! They usually become reddish themselves if they are exposed to direct sun (Figure 7).

The pistil, or female part of the flower, is the strangest part. It has a normal enough ovary that provides the enlarged base of the pistil, but the style expands into a large, star-shaped umbrella (Figure 8). This umbrella becomes the lowest part of the flower as it droops downward in its early open stages. As a result, the pollen that awaits in the anthers surrounding the ovary has a waiting landing platform. Soon the inside of the umbrella-shaped style is laden with pollen. And, the ovary drips nectar onto the platform as well.

When the blowfly approaches the flower, it first lands on one of the five points of the star, not suspecting that it has landed on the awaiting stigma that is ready to receive whatever pollen may have stuck to the body of the fly. From there, the fly descends onto the platform, where it crawls around gathering nectar, and inadvertently, pollen. When the fly tires of that flower, it will exit between the points, not across them, on its way to another flower.

Ca. 10 Listed Species
S. alata Wood (1863) | S. flava L. (1753) | S. jonesii Wherry (1929) | S. leucophylla Raf. (1817) | S. minor Walter (1788) | S. oreophila Wherry (1933) | S. purpurea L. (1753) | S. psittacina Michx. (1803) | S. rosea Naczi et al. (1999) | S. rubra Walter (1788)

Plants are eukaryotic organisms that are characterized by their ability to produce their own food. They are vital to all life on earth as they provide oxygen, shelter, clothing, food, and medicine for other living organisms.

Plants are very diverse and include organisms such as mosses, vines, trees, bushes, grasses, and ferns. Plants can be vascular or nonvascular, flowering or nonflowering, and seed bearing or non-seed bearing.

The information below describe the characteristics and parts of a flowering plant.

Parts of a Flowering Plant

Root System

Shoot System

• Sepal - green, leaf-like structure that protects the budding flower.
  
  
• Petal - colorful and often scented part of the flower that attracts insects.
  
  
• Stamen - the part of the flower that produces pollen. Consists of a filament and an anther.
  
  
  • Anther - sac located at the tip of the filament that contains pollen.
    
    
  • Filament - stalk that connects to and holds up the anther.
  
  
• Carpel - consists of the stigma, style, and ovary.
  
  
  • Stigma - the tip of the carpel that is sticky in order to collect pollen.
    
    
  • Style - the slender, neck-like portion of the carpel that leads to the ovary.
    
    
  • Ovary - structure at the base of the carpel that houses the ovule or egg.

Parts of a Flowering Plant: Summary

TRAP TYPE: Pitfall Trap
Currently 90 listed species occupying tropical habitats in Australia, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, the Seychelles, Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka.

Nepenthes, a native of Southeast Asia and Australia, forms pitchers (cups) that hang from trees. Its pitcher is similar to that of the North American pitcher plant in that it relies on a pool of water to trap its prey. It has a most unusual leaf that first looks like a normal leaf, then develops a tendril at its tip, and finally the tip of the tendril develops an amazing pitcher. It gains support by twining the tendril around another plant. The trap, like our own pitcher plant, lures its prey into the pitfall trap by a combination of decaying odors and sometimes a red coloration. As the pitcher develops, it swells and droops due to its weight.

As it matures, it suddenly begins inflates with air. Once inflated it begins to fill with liquid, then opens, revealing the enticing interior. The top of the trap has a lid that initially covers the pitcher until growth is complete. When the leaf is fully grown, the lid opens and the trap is ready.

They attract insects with the odor of nectar. Once inside, the insect finds it cannot get a grip on the walls of the pitcher because a flaky wax on the interior surface peels off as it struggles to climb. Eventually, it falls into the water and struggles to escape. The motion caused by the struggle stimulates digestive glands to release a digestive acid. This acid is so strong that a midge will disappear within hours. The largest of these, the Rajah pitcher, is able to digest mice! Like our own pitcher plant, this one too has its live inhabitants, the largest of which is a small crab.

Insect larvae feed on the decaying remains of prey. Others live in the upper levels and dip down occasionally to seize one of the larval inhabitants. In one case, the plant provides a chamber in its stem where ants live. The ants venture to the pitchers, grab some of the decaying prey, and sit on the lip of the pitcher to dismember it. As they break apart the body, pieces fall back into the pitcher's awaiting pool, where the now smaller fragments decay more quickly than would a whole insect. As you can see, this page is being developed. There are currently 91 listed species of Nepenthes.

The master of sticky fly paper, Drosera (sundew), is a slow trap compared to the one in Venus Flytrap. However, the sundew relies on first trapping its prey with its sticky, glandular hairs, as shown in Figure 1, before it slowly rolls up the edges of the leaf. It does not fold like the Venus fly trap, but it can effective enclose small flies with the numerous hairs.

The sundews, so named because their glandular leaf hairs glisten like dew in the sun, are not only common in bogs, but can occur on sandy banks and other mineral soils poor in organic nitrogen and phosphorus. So fascinating is this tiny plant that Darwin (1875) spent 285 pages of his book on insectivorous plants describing his own experiments on it.

TRAP TYPE: Flypaper Trap
Currently Ca. 152 listed species occupying temperate and tropical habitats throughout the world.

The master of sticky fly paper, Drosera (sundew), is a slow trap compared to the one in Venus Flytrap. However, the sundew relies on first trapping its prey with its sticky, glandular hairs, as shown in Figure 1, before it slowly rolls up the edges of the leaf. It does not fold like the Venus fly trap, but it can effective enclose small flies with the numerous hairs.

The sundews, so named because their glandular leaf hairs glisten like dew in the sun, are not only common in bogs, but can occur on sandy banks and other mineral soils poor in organic nitrogen and phosphorus. So fascinating is this tiny plant that Darwin (1875) spent 285 pages of his book on insectivorous plants describing his own experiments on it.

Ca. 152 Listed Species
D. acaulis Linné (1781) | D. adelae F. Muell. (1864) | D. admirabilis Debbert (1987) | D. afra Debbert (2002) | D. alba Phillips (1913) | D. aliciae R. Hamet (1905) | D. androsacea Diels (1904) | D. anglica Huds. (1778) | D. arcturi Hook. (1834) | D. arenicola Steyerm. (1952) | D. ascendens St. Hil. (1824) | D. barbigera Planch. (1848) | D. bequaertii Taton (1945) | D. bicolor Lowrie & Carlquist (1992) | D. binata Labill. (1804) | D. brevicornis Lowrie (1996) | D. brevifolia Pursh. (1814) | D. broomensis Lowrie (1996) | D. browniana Lowrie & N. Marchant (1992) | D. bulbigena Morr. (1903) | D. burkeana Planch. (1848) | D. burmanni Vahl (1794) | D. caduca Lowrie (1996) | D. callistos N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. camporupestris Rivadavia (2003) | D. capensis L. (1753) | D. capillaris Poir. (1804) | D. cendeensis Tamayo & Croizat (1949) | D. chrysolepis Taub. (1893) | D. cistiflora L. (1760) | D. citrina Lowrie & Carlquist (1992) | D. closterostigma N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. communis St. Hil. (1824) | D. compacta Exell & Laundon (1955) | D. cuneifolia L. f. (1781) | D. curviscapa Salt. (1939) | D. darwinensis Lowrie (1996) | D. derbyensis Lowrie (1996) | D. dichrosepala Turczaninov (1854) | D. dielsiana Exell. & Laundon (1956) | D. dilatatopetiolaris K. Kondo (1984) | D. echinoblastus N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. elongata Exell & Laundon (1955) | D. eneabba N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. enodes N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. ericksoniae N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. erythrogyne N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. esmeraldae (Steyerm.) Maguire & Wurdack. (1957) | D. esterhuyseniae (Salt.) Debbert (1991) | D. falconeri K. Kondo & P. Tsang (1984) | D. felix Steyerm. & L. B. Smith (1974) | D. fimbriata De Buhr (1975) | D. fulva Planch (1848) | D. gigantea Lindl. (1839) | D. glanduligera Lehm. (1844) | D. graminifolia St. Hil. (1824) | D. graniticola N. Marchant (1982) | D. grantsaui F. Rivadavia (2003) | D. graomogolensis T. Silva (1997) | D. grievei Lowrie & N. Marchant (1992) | D. hamiltonii C. R. P. Andrews (1903) | D. hartmeyerorum Schlauer (2001) | D. helodes N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. heterophylla Lindl. (1839) | D. hilaris Cham. & Schlecht. (1826) | D. hirtella St. Hil. (1824) | D. hirticalyx R. Duno & Culham (1995) | D. huegelii Endl. (1837) | D. humbertii Exell. & Laundon (1956) | D. humilis (Planch.) (1848) | D. hyperostigma N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. indica L. (1753) | D. insolita Taton (1945) | D. intermedia Hayne (1800) | D. intricata Planch. (1848) | D. kaieteurensis Brumm.-Ding. (1955) | D. katangensis Taton (1945) | D. kenneallyi Lowrie (1996) | D. lanata K. Kondo (1984) | D. lasiantha Lowrie & Carlquist (1992) | D. leioblastus N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. leucoblasta Benth. (1864) | D. linearis Goldie (1822) | D. longiscapa Debbert (2002) | D. lowriei N. Marchant (1992) | D. macrophylla Lindl. (1939) | D. madagascariensis DC. (1824) | D. mannii Cheek (1990) | D. meristocaulis Maguire & Wurdack (1957) | D. microphylla Endl. (1837) | D. microscapa Debbert (1991) | D. miniata Diels (1904) | D. moaensis C. Panfet (1991) | D. modesta Diels (1904) | D. montana St. Hil. (1824) | D. monticola (Lowrie & N. Marchant) Lowrie (1992) | D. moorei (Diels) Lowrie (1999) | D. myriantha Planch. (1848) | D. natalensis Diels (1906) | D. neesii Lehm. (1844) | D. neocaledonica R. Hamet (1906) | D. nidiformis Debbert (1991) | D. nitidula Planch. (1848) | D. nivea Lowrie & Carlquist (1992) | D. oblanceolata Y. Z. Ruan (1981) | D. orbiculata N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. ordensis Lowrie (1994) | D. oreopodion N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. pallida Lindl. (1839) | D. paradoxa Lowrie (1997) | D. parvula Planch. (1848) | D. pedicellaris Lowrie (2002) | D. peltata Thunb. (1797) | D. peruensis T. Silva & M. D. Correa (1982) | D. pilosa Exell. & Laundon (1956) | D. platypoda Turczaninows (1854) | D. platystigma Lehm. (1844) | D. praefolia J. G. O. Tepper (1892) | D. prolifera C. T. White (1940) | D. prostratoscaposa Lowrie & Carlquist (1990) | D. pulchella Lehm. (1844) | D. purpurascens Schlotthauber (1956) | D. pycnoblasta Diels (1904) | D. pygmaea DC. (1824) | D. radicans N. Marchant (1982) | D. ramellosa Lehm. (1844) | D. rechingeri Strid (1987) | D. regia Stephens (1926) | D. roseana N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. rosulata Lehm. (1844) | D. rubrifolia Debbert (2002) | D. salina N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. sargentii Lowrie & N. Marchant (1992) | D. schizandra Diels (1906) | D. scorpioides Planch. (1848) | D. sessilifolia St. Hil. (1824) | D. sewelliae Diels (1904) | D. silvicola Lowrie & Carlquist (1992) | D. slackii Cheek (1987) | D. spilos N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. stelliflora Lowrie & Carlquist (1992) | D. stenopetala Hook. f. (1853) | D. stolonifera Endl. (1837) | D. subtilis N. Marchant (1982) | D. sulphurea Lehm. (1847) | D. tentaculata Rivadavia (2003) | D. tomentosa St. Hil. (1824) | D. trinervia Sprengel (1820) | D. tubaestylis N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. uniflora Willd. (1809) | D. venusta Debbert (1987) | D. villosa St. Hil. (1824) | D. viridis Rivadavia (2003) | D. walyunga N. Marchant & Lowrie (1992) | D. whittakeri Planch. (1848) | D. yutajensis R. Duno & Culham (1995) | D. zeyheri Salter (1940) | D. zigzagia A. Lowrie (1999) | D. zonaria Planch. (1848)