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.
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| Botanical History of Sarracenia |
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| Charles Darwin 1809-1882 |
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| 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
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