The Venus flytrap is native to subtropical wetlands on the east coast of the USA. It thrives in moist, acidic environments, such as bogs, which are characteristically low in the essential nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, by supplementing its nutrient income by carnivory. To access sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis, the plant needs an open understorey (the vegetation layer below the forest canopy) — natural forest fires burn away taller shrubs, eliminating competition for light.
The Venus flytrap has a rosette of leaves, each with two parts (see Figure 1). The upper part is divided into two lobes fringed with spiky projections. The inner surface of each upper lobe has three tiny trigger hairs (arrowed in Figure 3), which can detect unsuspecting victims. Insects are lured to the plant by attractive chemicals secreted by cells at the leaf margins. If an insect touches any of the hairs twice within a few seconds — snap! The trap slams shut in about a tenth of a second.
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