In a rain forest, you see an unfimiliar green organism. As you watch, an ant walks onto one of it's cuplike...

Question

leaves. The leaf closes and traps the ant. Don you have enough information to classify this organism? Why or why not?

Answer 1

I personally would not because I am not well versed in tropical plant identification. I could, however, learn from the experience that the plant is carnivorous, which would narrow down the search for its scientific name (assuming it has already been described by science).

In order to classify a plant, the observer would have to look at much more than the fact that the plant consumes insects. You would look at the plant's leaf shape, leaf size, leaf texture, stem texture, the presence of other vegetation features (stipules, thorns, etc.); also, if available, the flower and its parts/color, fruit type, etc. etc.

Answer 2

Well... a Venus flytrap doesn't have a "cup-like" leaf. But there are lots of carnivorous plants out there. I'd be more inclined to think it's a pitcher plant, genus Nepenthes. That's not enough to allow you to classify it completely, but it at least gets you to the genus level.

Answer 3

Sounds like a Venus Fly Trap to me.

Answer 4

Venus flytrap, i guess.