File:The field, the garden and the woodland, or, Interesting facts respecting flowers and plants in general (1838) (14595553310).jpg

Identifier: fieldgardenwoodl00lady (find matches)
Title: The field, the garden and the woodland, or, Interesting facts respecting flowers and plants in general
Year: 1838 (1830s)
Authors: Lady
Subjects:
Publisher: London : Charles Knight
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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oistening the earth around thefibres which may thus imbibe refreshment. That insects derive a supply from this littlebasin is very evident, as we may often see float-ing upon the surface of its water many a littlewinged creature, which, too eager to enjoy thebeverage it offered, have fallen into it and pe-rished. A very singular plant called the pitcher-plant (Nepenthes distillatoria), contains in itsvase-like leaf a glassful of water. This liquid isnot, like that contained in the teasel-leaf, formedby the accumulated drops of the summer shower,but is secreted through the stalk of the leaf. Thepitcher-plant is often found on boggy plains inthe East Indies, in Amboyna, IMadagascar, andsome other places. Each of its leaves ends in aclosely-shut tube like a tankard, and the lid ofthis tube which prevents the liquid from evapora-tion, either opens after some time by itself or islifted up by insects, who derive from the clear PITCHER-PLANT. 255 water within a more pleasant refreshment than
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Pitchev--p\aint—Nepenthes distillatoria. they could procure from the surrounding bogs.Indeed the exhalations of these marshy groundsare often in the moist and hot climates wherethey are situated, of a most noxious and fetid 256 PITCHER-PLANT. quality. The water of the pitcher-plant is sweetand exquisitely clear. On some occasions it may afford enjoyment tothe thirsty traveller, while to the numerous littleworms and insects it is a frequent and abundantresource. One species of small shrimp especiallylives in its waters, revelling in its limpid stream,and feeding upon many other insects which aredrowned in the fountain at which they came tosip. The Chinese call this plant pig-basket-grass,from the resemblance of its leaves to the basketsin which they carry their pigs for sale. TheMalays superstitiously fancy that the gatheringthese plants causes rain; and Rumphius men-tions that when he wished to obtain some spe-cimens of it from the mountains of Amboyna, thepeople refused to procure

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