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Plant Diversity

Tracheophytes— Flowering Plants (Angiosperms)

What are carnivorous plants, and how are they categorized?

Carnivorous plants are plants that attract, catch, and digest animal prey, absorbing the bodily juices of prey for the nutrient content. Carnivorous plants can be divided into more than 400 species, with each one classified according to the nature of their trapping mechanism. All carnivorous plants have traps made of modified leaves with various incentives or attractants—such as nectar or an enticing color—that can lure prey.



The Venus Fly Trap, which is native to the U.S. east coast, adapted to nutrient-poor soil by becoming carnivorous.