Sunday, 21 November 2010

Charles Darwin and the Botanical History of Carnivorous Plants, EEE 2011

Carnivorous plants have captured the imagination and wonderment of naturalist and botanists alike for several centuries. For instance, Sarracenia minor, first recorded as Thuris limpidifolium, was brought to the world's knowledge as long ago as 1570 in Mattias de l'Obel and Petrus Pena's  Nova Stirpium Adversaria. Of more recent fame the great Charles Darwin carried out the most meticulous of experiments on a variety of genera in a quest, which began in 1880 and finished with his book Insectivorous Plant, published in 1875, to once and for all prove their carnivorous nature. Darwin achieved this objective, though it took another year before his evidence was generally accepted.

Each genera has its own rich and diverse history and at the European Carnivorous Plant Exchange and Exhibition 2011(EEE 2011), to be held at Chester Zoo, England, on July 2nd and 3rd, the Carnivorous Plant Society surmise their story in a "Charles Darwin and the Botanical History of Carnivorous Plant" display.

Charles Darwin will also be making an appearance, reenacted by Chris Bailey an outstanding period actor. The Carnivorous Plant Society are delighted that Chris will be joining us, and with a BSc (Hons) degree in Botany achieved at one of the countries leading universities - Exeter - visitors are going to be in for a real treat.

Botanical History of Sarracenia
Charles Darwin 1809-1882


Chris Bailey in character as Charles Darwin

We would like to thank modern day carnivorous plant explorer, author and photographer Stewart McPherson for his support in putting together the display. Stewart has written and published several leading books on carnivorous plants, which no enthusiast should be without: Redfern Natural History

Monday, 8 November 2010

Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats by Stewart McPherson

British naturalist Stewart McPherson is back with two more fabulous carnivorous plant books entitled Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats, which comes in two volumes.

Tim Bailey says: "Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats examine the wild ecology, diversity and natural history of all carnivorous plant genera worldwide. This stunning, detailed and beautiful study reveals carnivorous plants in unparalleled detail to botanists and naturalists, and provides horticulturists with specific information to cultivate carnivorous plants with a greater level of success. The two volumes of Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats are 1,441 pages long, and includes 799 spectacular images."

Part of the unique content of McPherson's work includes four spectacular new Nepenthes species (N. gantungensis, N. holdenii, N. hamiguitanensis and N. palawanensis), and detailed coverage of the new carnivorous genus Philcoxia.


Volume One covers the following chapters:
Introduction Tables Turned: A New Natural Order
Carnivorous Plants of the World
Evolution of Carnivorous Plants
Associated Life: Mutualists and Infauna
Habitats of Carnivorous Plants

Snap Traps: 

        Aldrovanda
        Dionaea

Pitcher Plants: 
        Darlingtonia
        Heliamphora
        Sarracenia
        Nepenthes
        Cephalotus
        Brocchinia
        Catopsis

 
Volume Two covers the following chapters:
Sticky-Leaved Insect-Eating Plants:
        Triphyophyllum
        Drosera
        Drosophyllum
        Roridula
        Byblis
        Pinguicula
        Proboscidea
        Philcoxia

Corkscrew Plants:

       Genlisea

Bladderworts: 

       Utricularia

The future of Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats
Appendix
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
About the Author