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New Carnivorous Plant?

This was on the Cp Listserve. I'm just passing it along.
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Hi all,
I'm writing to announce a new addition to carnivory in plants. The
Washingtonia Palm, which is native to Southern California, is found to
be
carnivorous! As the trunk grows it becomes sheathed in dead leaves
which are not shed in this species. It has long been known that nesting
birds,
mainly pigeons, nest sheltered in the skirt of leaves. Great amounts of
the bird's droppings fall and are funneled by the skirt to the base of
the tree and nourish it. More recently it has been discovered that the
tree also kills pigeons. During times of high wind, the saw blade-like
leaf petioles move about and act as giant jaws to chew the roosting
birds
which are helpless and cannot fly during the night hours. The carcasses
drop to the base of the tree along with their droppings. This discovery
was made by a homeowner that often takes great displeasure at having to
weekly cleanup around this species. Dang I hate pigeons!
Ivan Snyder

Morbid huh?
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tounge.gif


Mike
 
Glad I don't have that tree in my yard, even if it is carnivorous. And isn't deriving benefit from droppings (i.e. fertilizer) something any plant does?

SF
 
i don't believe it , it could be a new cp but i highly doubt it . In order for it to be a true cp it must lure its prey , any pigeon could make its home in a palm or other tree , then it must catch its prey , this palm does'nt catch its prey because the bird can fly away whenever they want to rather then be stuck in there , the plant also does not move , it depends on wind for that and there is nothing in the plant itself that gives it ht epower of movement , the plant also has to digest and absorb its prey , this plant does not do that , bromeliads and orchids in the wild get crapped on and people put maure on their lawns , no different from any other plant except a true cp , the palm does'nt even use bacteria or enzymes to digest pigeons , it must depend on its roots . with all these fact it would mean that the plant is not a real cp nor a sub cp , just a regular plant .
 
HA HA HA HA!
tounge.gif
I live in southern california
if you can buy these things and they really do this, I think I'll get one some day
of course its pretty hard to believe
 
I think at best it would be classified as Quasi- cpish. It sounds like a palm version of a Roridula to me, but still an interesting find! Maybe it could be named the "pigeon saw palm"

Cole
 
One fact that has been over looked here. Ivan's sense of humor. He scientifically proved the existence of the glow in the dark drosera. I'm sure he'll soon offer proof of the deadly carnivorous tree.
I love reading Ivan's post.
 
With the criteria given, the three Royal Palms in my yard could be classified as carniverous.  The fronds are about 14 feet long and weigh about 15 pounds.  Falling from a height of 50 ft they could easily kill a human being, which would then decompose and provide food for the tree.
One thing my buddy does know...they put one heck of a dent in the hood of his jeep.  Fortunately he uses it hunting in the "glades" and the dent just kinda blends in with the rest of the damage.
smile.gif
 
  • #10
ok. . . it attracts animals- pigeons see a nice shelter
it kills them- green swords decapitate them
and it digests them- at the tree's base
only one that would make it semi-carnivorous is the fact that the WIND
is really the killer.
 
  • #11
isn't wind always a killer anyway? tornadoes, huricanes etc.
 
  • #13
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]isn't wind always a killer anyway? tornadoes, huricanes etc.

As well as broken wind....
wink.gif
 
  • #14
[b said:
Quote[/b] (schloaty @ Dec. 29 2003,13:35)]As well as broken wind....
wink.gif
I quake in fear of SBDs myself
wink.gif
 
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