By
Michelle Warwicker, BBC Nature
Some
carnivorous plants act as blue "fluorescent lamps" to lure prey,
according to scientists in India.
The
research team discovered blue fluorescent emissions from the plants'
"capture spots" when tested in ultraviolet (UV) light.
Carnivorous
plants are known to attract insects with nectar, colours and smells.
But
the alluring blue glow reveals a new prey capture mechanism in some species,
according to the findings.
The
study, published in the journal Plant
Biology, was carried out by scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical
Botanic Garden and Research Institute in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
"These
distinct blue emissions were so far not known in carnivorous prey traps,"
said research team member Dr Sabulal Baby.
"To
the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting such strong and
distinct fluorescence emissions in the plant kingdom."
Significant
signals
The
team found the blue emissions, caused by molecular mechanisms, in "prey
traps" of pitcher plants Nepenthes and Sarracenia and
in Venus flytraps (Dionaea muscipula).
Continued: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/21459520
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