Carnivorous Plants: A Research Guide
A Pathfinder for University of South Florida

Introduction

Carnivorous plants have fascinated horticulturists all over the world ever since being discovered. Surprisingly, not all are from exotic lands; many live in your own backyard. This pathfinder attempts to orient the user to a variety of easy-to-use resources covering a wide variety of topics regarding carnivorous plants, including their cultivation, characteristics, reproduction and environment. There are also a number of societies dedicated to the study and cultivation of carnivorous plants. While the Venus flytrap may be the most famous of all carnivorous plants, this pathfinder covers nearly all species of plants, including pitcher plants, sundews, butterworts and bladderworts. Information on carnivorous plants is harder to locate than information on other topics because it is a very narrow field and there has only recently been a renewed interest in it. As a result, I strove to include as many resources as possible to give the user options if the primary resource listed was not available.

Scope

This pathfinder provides undergraduate level information in a variety of media, including books, articles, internet resources and videos. I have divided the resources by subject matter first and each subject heading contains a mixture of media.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Use the following keywords to search for materials on carnivorous plants when searching library catalogues, although these terms should also be helpful with Internet Research as well. I have included both broad search terms as well as terms for specific types of plants.

• Carnivorous Plants
• Insectivorous Plants
• Horticulture (Carnivorous Plants)
• Venus flytrap
• American Pitcher Plants
• Sun Pitcher Plants
• Cobra Plant
• Sundews
• West Australian Pitcher Plant
• Dewy Pine
• Rainbow Plants
• Butterworts
• Bladderworts
• Tropical Pitcher Plants

You can also search for the Latin names of different species:

• Dionaea Muscipula (Venus flytrap)
• Sarracenia (American Pitcher Plants)
• Darlingtonia Californica (Cobra Plant)
• Heliamphora (Sun Pitchers)
• Drosera (Sundews)
• Cephalotus Follicularis (West Australian Pitcher Plant)
• Drosophyllum Lusitanicum (Dewey Pine)
• Byblis (Rainbow Plants)
• Pinguicula (Butterworts)
• Utricularia (Bladderworts)
• Nepenthes (Tropical Pitcher Plants)

While this isn’t a comprehensive list of carnivorous species, if you are looking for a particular type of plant, these terms should be helpful in both internet and databases searches.

It may also be helpful to browse through the relevant sections at the library. Below is the relevant range of call numbers.

How to Use this Pathfinder

If you know you would like to research carnivorous plants but have yet to narrow your topic, I suggest you go first through the general information sources. These will provide a basic and thorough level of information that is comprehensive but not technical. Once you have decided what you would like to focus on in specific, scroll down to the appropriate section. Each section contains books, articles and websites; this pathfinder is organized by topic and then by type of media. I have included resources on specific species as well as historical sources. Please do not pass over the carnivorous plant societies, as they will give you current information that may help you broaden your understanding. Finally, if there is nothing here that finds your specific research needs, a database search with the terms above should yield information closer to what you seek. The beauty of carnivorous plants is that they are multifaceted and unique but by no means an over-whelming topic.

A note on articles

Within every topic covered in this pathfinder, there are at least one or two articles listed. These articles are accessible in full by searching for the title of the article in one of the databases available to USF students. I recommend using WilsonWeb, listed under ‘databases’ on the USF library web page.

General Information

There are a plethora of books available filled with wonderful information on carnivorous plants. The following list of resources is by no means comprehensive but the sources listed are appropriate for use in research and provide a starting point for more in-depth research. I recommend the following general resources as a means to develop a nascent topic.

• D'Amato, P. (1998).The savage garden: Cultivating carnivorous plants. Berkeley, Calif: Ten Speed Press.

  The author, Paul D’Amato, is the proprietor of the largest carnivorous plant garden in California. While this book does provide information on cultivation, it provides through information about the carnivorous plant world in an organized way that prevents it from being overwhelming. This is an excellent resource for finding basic information about all the different species of carnivorous plants.

• Rice, B. A. (2006).Growing carnivorous plants. Portland, Or: Timber.

  This is another cultivation guide that has long been the stable of carnivorous plant growers in the US (this particular edition is a re-print). I would recommend this not as a cultivation guide but as a basic information resource because the bulk of the information focuses on introducing the reader to various types of carnivorous plants; horticultural information is scant.

• Schnell, D. E. (2002). Carnivorous plants of the United States and Canada.Portland, Or: Timber Press.
  

  This is reprint of a classic text that contains a trove of information for users in North America.

• Halpern, M. (2006).Venus flytraps, bladderworts, and other wild and amazing plants. National Geographic science chapters. Washington, DC: National Geographic.
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• Juniper, B. E., Robins, R. J., & Joel, D. M. (1988). The carnivorous plants. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
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• McPherson, S. (2008). Glistening carnivores: the sticky-leaved insect-eating plants. Poole, England: Redfern Natural History Productions.

  While focusing more on certain species of carnivorous plants, such as sundews and butterworts, this resource still provides a good amount of basic information.

• Pietropaolo, P., & Pietropaolo, J. (1986). Carnivorous plants of the world.  Portland, Or: Timber.

• Temple, P. (1988). Carnivorous plants.  London: Cassell.
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• Tillotson, H. S. (2002). H. S. Tillotson illustrations of carnivorous plants, 1941-1945. Philadelphia: Ewell Sale Stewart Library, Academy of Natural Sciences.
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• H. S. Tillotson illustrations of carnivorous plants, 1941-1945.

  This resource contains a number of historical illustrations of various carnivorous plants.  The website contains the contact info for the Ewell Sale Stewart Library, which can provide access to the images.

• Watkins, J., & Norris, P. (1979). An introduction to carnivorous plants.   Croxley Green, England: Carnivorous Plant Society.
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• Cheers, G. (1992). A guide to carnivorous plants of the world.  Pymble, N.S.W.: Collins-Angus & Robertson.

  The following resources are more specific to certain areas of the world but still provide a great deal of information.

• Carnivorous plants of North East India. (1977).  Gauhati, Assam: M.N. Dutta Baruah.
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• Clayton, C., Rondeau, J., & Rice, B.  (2003).   Carnivorous plants in California, U.S.A..  Australia: C.H. Clayton.
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• Clayton, C. (2005).  Carnivorous plants of New Caledonia and the Isle of Pines: A field guide and cultural notes to the indigenous species. Australia: C.H. Colin.
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• Clayton, C.  (2003). Carnivorous plants in Victoria, Australia: A field guide and cultural notes to the indigenous species. Australia: C.H. Clayton.
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• Clayton, C. (2003).  Carnivorous plants in Tasmania Australia: A field guide and cultural notes to the indigenous species. Keysborough, Vic: Triffid Park.
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• Clayton, C. (2003).  Carnivorous plants in New Zealand: A field guide and cultural notes to the indigenous and exotic species. Australia: C.H. Clayton.
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• Clayton, C.  (2005).  Seychelles: Carnivorous plants : a field guide and cultural notes to the indigenous species and exotic species. Australia: C.H. Colin.
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• Clayton, C.  (2005).  Carnivorous plants in South Australia: A field guide and cultural notes to the indigenous species.  Australia: C.H. Clayton.
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• Clayton, C.  (2006).  Sri Lanka's carnivorous plants. Keysborough, Australia: C. H. Colin.
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• Gambill, H.  (1992).  The insect-eating plants of Louisiana.  Lafayette, La: LEVA Productions.
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• Joseph, J., & Joseph, K.  (1986).  Insectivorous plants of Khasi and Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, India: A preliminary survey. Calcutta: Botanical Survey of India.
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• Lowrie, A. (1987).  Carnivorous plants of Australia. Volume 1. Nedlands, Australia: University of Western Australia Press.
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• Lowrie, A. (1989).  Carnivorous plants of Australia. Volume 2. Nedlands, Australia: University of Western Australia Press.
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• Manning, J. (2003).   First field guide to parasitic and carnivorous plants of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik.
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• Marren, P. (2002). The deadly world of Britain's carnivorous plants. British wildlife.  13, 327-334.
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• Rondeau, J.  (1995).  Carnivorous plants of the West. Volume II, California, Oregon, and Washington.  San Jose, Ca,: J.H. Rondeau.
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• Tan, H., &  Chan, K.  (1998)  A guide to the carnivorous plants of Singapore. Singapore: Singapore Science Centre.

Cultivation Guides

A number of the general sources already discussed provide a basic level of cultivation information as well. The following resources provide more detailed cultivation information.

• Centre for Life Studies. (1985). Carnivorous plants: Guidelines for keeping and using animals and plants. London: The Centre.
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• Barthlott, W., & Ashdown, M. (2007). The curious world of carnivorous plants: A comprehensive guide to their biology and cultivation.  Portland, Or: Timber.
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• Farin, J., & Dallas, J. (2005).  Secrets to growing beautiful carnivorous plants for your home and garden. Eagle Creek, Or: Sarracenia Northwest.

  This is a comprehensive guide that is excellent for the amateur horticulturist trying to grow carnivorous plants in the home. Farin and Dallas are the proprietors of Sarracenia Northwest, a nursery that sells carnivorous plants and supplies.

• Slack, A. (1986).  Insect-eating plants and how to grow them.  Sherborne: Alphabooks.
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• Rice, B. A. (2006).  The complete grower's guide to carnivorous plants. Pretoria: Briza.

  Cultivation guides are hard to come by in regards to carnivorous plants but the above resources should provide through bibliographic information.

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Scientific Resources

If you are looking for structural, evolutionary or other scientific themes in regards to carnivorous plants, the following resources should provide some basic scientific information. One can find current research in articles, theses and dissertations.

• Adamec, L. (1997).  Mineral Nutrition of Carnivorous Plants: A Review.  The Botanical Review. 63 (3), 273.
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• Adlassnig, W., Peroutka, M., Lambers, H., & Lichtscheidl, I. (2005).  The Roots of Carnivorous Plants.  Plant and Soil. 274 (1-2), 1-2.
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• Albert V., Williams S., & Chase M. (1992).  Carnivorous plants: phylogeny and structural evolution.  Science.  257 (5076), 1491-5.
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• Anderson, B., & Midgley, J. (2001). Food or sex; pollinator-prey conflict in carnivorous plants.  Ecology Letters.  4 (6), 511-513.
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• Brewer, J. S. (2003).  Why don't carnivorous pitcher plants compete with non-carnivorous plants for nutrients? Ecology. 84, 451-462.
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• Buckley, H., Miller, T., Ellison, A., & Gotelli, N.  (2003).  Reverse latitudinal trends in species richness of pitcher-plant food webs.  Ecology Letters.  6 (9), 825-829.
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• Ellison, A., Gotelli, N., Brewer, J., Cochran-Stafira, D. , Kneitel, J., Miller, T., et al. (2003).  The Evolutionary Ecology of Carnivorous Plants.  Advances in Ecological Research.  33, 2-75.
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• Gaume, L., & Forterre, Y. (2008).  A Viscoelastic Deadly Fluid in Carnivorous Pitcher Plants.   AIP Conference Proceedings.  1027, 582-584.
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• Heslop-Harrison Y. (1975).  Enzyme release in carnivorous plants.  Frontiers of Biology. 43 (4), 525-78.
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• Jolivet, P. (1998).  Interrelationship between insects and plants.  Boca Raton, Fl: CRC Press.

  This resource contains a chapter on carnivorous and proto-carnivorous plants, though the book itself focuses on the relationships between insects and plants.

• Pennisi E. (2002).  Plant evolution. Elaborate carnivorous plants prove to be kin.  Science. 297 (5587).
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• Schaefer H, & Ruxton G. (2008).  Fatal attraction: carnivorous plants roll out the red carpet to lure insects. Biology Letters.  4 (2), 153-5.
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Historical Resources

The following resources are either primary historical documents from early researchers, such as Darwin or resources that focus on the history of the discovery and classification of carnivorous plants. This is helpful information if one is trying to include historical information or historiographical perspective in regards to the field of botany.

• Darwin, C.  (2005).  Insectivorous plants.  Boston, Massachusetts: Indy Publishing.

  This more recent reprint of the classic text originally publish in 1896 is a little bit easier to find than the original publication.

• Hodge. W. H. (1949).  Carnivorous plants. New York: American Museum of Natural History.
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• Lloyd, F. E. (1942).  The carnivorous plants. Waltham, Mass: Chronica botanica company.
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• Lugger, O.  (1900).  Flesh-consuming plants. (no publication information available).

  This is a difficult resource to get a hold of and I included it for posterity sake. If you are including a historical section in your research, Darwin’s work should suffice.

• Macbride, J., & Smith, J. (1818).  On the power of Sarracenia Adunca to entrap insects. London: R. Taylor.
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• Macfarlane, J.  (1889). Observations on pitchered insectivorous plants. London: Henry Frowde.
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• Meyers, D. G.  (1982).  Darwin's investigations of carnivorous aquatic plants of the genus Utricularia: Misconception, contribution, and controversy.  Philadelphia: Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.
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• Nelson, E., & Ellis, J.  (1990). Aphrodite's mousetrap: A biography of Venus's flytrap with facsimiles of an original pamphlet and the manuscripts of John Ellis.  Aberystwyth, Wales: Published by Boethius Press in association with Bentham-Moxon Trust and the Linnean Society.

  This is another difficult resource to find but it does contain some very good reproductions of historical documents.

• Nelson, E., Seaward, M., Moore, D., & Spruce, R.  (1981).  Charles Darwin's correspondence with David Moore of Glasnevin on insectivorous plants and potatoes.  London: Linnean Society.
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• Niles, G. G. ( 1906). Carnivorous plants.  American Botanist. (no serial information available).
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• Prior, S.  (1939).  Carnivorous plants and "the man-eating tree".  Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History.
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• Smith, J. G.  (1893).  Recent studies of carnivorous plants. Philadelphia: Binder & Kelly.
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• Walcott, M., Wherry, E., & Jones, F.  (1935).   Illustrations of North American pitcherplants. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution.
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Specific Species

The following resources are species specific. Not all species are included but I did strive to include information on the more well-known species of carnivorous plants. Information on Venus flytraps, sundews, Nepenthes, Bladderworts and pitcher plants are included below.

• Erickson, R.  (1958).  Triggerplants [Stylidium].  Perth, W.A.: P. Brokensha.
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• Luken, J.   (2005).  Dionaea muscipula (Venus Flytrap) Establishment, Release, and Response of Associated Species in Mowed Patches on the Rims of Carolina Bays.  Restoration Ecology.  13 (4), 678-684.
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• McPherson, S.  (2007).  Pitcher plants of the Americas.   Blacksburg, Va: McDonald & Woodward Pub.
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• Pring, G.  (1943).  Nepenthes: Pitcher plants.  St. Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden.
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• Pring, G.   (1950).  Nepenthes at the garden.  St. Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden.
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Price Guides, Suppliers, Horticultural Collections and Nomenclature

The following resources included suppliers and horticultural garden collections as well as glossaries and indices of carnivorous plant species.

• Carnivorous plants: Collecting, naming and preserving of herbarium specimens.  (2003).  Clayton, Colin.
• Botanic Gardens Conservation Secretariat.  (1988).
• Carnivorous plants of the world: A preliminary list of the conservation species; questionnaire and preliminary report on their occurrence in botanic gardens.  Botanic Gardens Conservation Secretariat.
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• Carolina Biological Supply Company.  (1980).  Basic carnivorous plants set.  Burlington, N.C.: Carolina Biological Supply.
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• Carolina Biological Supply Company.  (1988).  Carnivorous plants.  Burlington, NC: Carolina Biological Supply.
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• Cole, P., & Schlauer, J.  (1996).  Dictionary of carnivorous plant names: Their etymological derivations and meanings.  United Kingdom: Peter Cole.
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• Kondo, K. (1967).  The Carnivorous plants in Kondo's collections - Masahiro Kondo 1-2.  Nagoya: Unpublished.

  This is an unpublished resource focused on the Kondo collections. It is rather difficult to find information on Dr. Kondo’s research at Hiroshima University in Japan but here is a link to an article available online that is the result of his research:

• A new species of Pinguicula from Mexico (Lentibulariaceae)

  While springlink.com is not a verified website, the article has been peer-reviewed and the journal is a reputable source.

• Northrop's Insectivorous Plant Farm.  (n.d.).  Carnivorous plant price list.  Hampstead, N.C.: The Farm.
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• Ohlenrott, G.  (n.d.).  Carnivorous plants total listing.  South Yarra, Australia:  Victorian Carnivorous Plant Society.
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• Peter Pauls Nurseries.  (n.d.).  Carnivourous (insectivorous) plants and supplies.  Canandaigua, N.Y.: Peter Pauls Nurseries.
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• World Conservation Monitoring Centre & Botanic Gardens Conservation Secretariat. ( 1988).  Carnivorous plants of the world: A preliminary list of the conservation species, questionnaire and preliminary report on their occurrence in botanic gardens.  World Conservation Monitoring Centre, & Botanic Gardens Conservation Secretariat.
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Carnivorous Plant Societies

The following is a list of bulletins published by various plant societies.

• Carnivorous plants digest.  Kelly Corners, NY: Carnivorous Plants Digest Co.
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• Bulletin of the Australian Carnivorous Plant Society. Clarence Park, Australia: The Society.
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• Bay Area Carnivorous Plant Society newsletter.  Fremont, Ca: Bay Area Carnivorous Plant Society.
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• Bay Area Carnivorous Plant Society Archives

  This website includes a number of archived issues for perusal.

• The Carnivorous Plant Society journal.  Rusthall, Kent: The Society.
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• International Carnivorous Plant Society.  Pinole, CA: International Carnivorous Plant Society.
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• International Carnivorous Plant Society

  This website includes a searchable database for articles, a carnivorous plant name locator, species descriptions and much more. A very good starting place!

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• Victorian Carnivorous Plant Society journal.  Greensborough, Australia: The Society.
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• Victorian Carnivorous Plant Society

  The Victorian Carnivorous Plant Society is a non-profit organization based out of Australia. While the website is a .com, it does have an extensive bibliography with many good resources.

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Videos

Below are audiovisual resources that contain footage of carnivorous plants in action.

• Attenborouch, D. (1995).  The private life of plants by David Attenborough: Part 2: Putting down roots.  Turner Home Entertainment.

  David Attenborough has produced a number of documentaries that contain wonderful cinematography and as well as thorough research. This particular video contains an informative section on carnivorous plants.

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Florida Resources

The pathfinder is based out of the University of South Florida and I have included this list of Florida resources for researchers interested in local carnivorous plant species.

• Hermann, S.  (1995).  Status and management of Florida's carnivorous plant communities.  Tallahassee, Fl: Nongame Wildlife Program, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.
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• Statewide Recreation Project, & Norman, V.  (1940).  Trees & Florida insectivorous plants.  Jacksonville, FL: Statewide Recreation Project.
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Internet Resources

While there are thousands of Internet sites related to the Impressionist movement, the following resources are among the best. They offer relevant information, good visual resources, and much biographical data on the major artists of the movement.

• Carnivorous Plant Database Browser

  This database is a user-supported collection of information and contains a great deal of images. While the database itself may not contain completely verifiable information, the Listserv is large and includes a number of members that can be contacted directly for guidance. The better database is the following, which is supported by the International Carnivorous Plant Society:

• Carnivorous Plant Names Database
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• Carnivorous Plant FAQ

  The International Carnivorous Plant Society also supports the Carnivorous Plant FAQ and it includes a good amount of verifiable information.

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Final Word

Independent research is the next step after perusing the above resources.  It is prudent, however, to be cautious when using Internet search engines to locate information, as there is a lot of misinformation on the web regarding carnivorous plants.  Please be sure to evaluate websites before using their information in your research.  I have come across a number of blatantly wrong information on the Internet.  By starting with the resources in the General Resources section and moving to other sources, you ensure good research by first building a solid base of verified information.  For this particular topic, I recommend first reviewing print sources and then venturing out to Internet research.

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Iuliano© 2008 LIS 6603 Basic Information Sources and Services Fall 2008 | Questions? E-mail: aiuliano@mail.usf.edu

All information is for educational purposes only.