Hair-like structures inside Carnivorous Plants
Feb 17, 2016 • 1:08 AM UTC
Unknown Location
140x Magnification
Microorganisms
srobles
Learn about the author...
4posts
0comments
1locations
Purpose
To find structures that carnivorous plants may use to trap and kill insects.
Problem
I don´t know what structures do carnivorous plants use to trap and kill insects.
Hypothesis
If I use a Foldscope to see the inside of a carnivorous plant, then I will be able to find
structures that carnivorous plants use to trap insects.
Materials
-Foldscope
-Slides
-Light source
-Pelican flower ( Aristolochia grandiflora ), a carnivore eating plant.
Procedure
Find a Pelican flower Cut the carnivore eating plant open, and collect specimens from the inside Put a sample of the carnivore eating plant in a slide Put the slide in the Foldscope Put the Foldscope in the light source Observe how the structures of the carnivore eating plant look like. Record your observations.
Results and Observations
I noticed that the plant had a tube. When I opened it, I saw little hairs, so I put them in the
Foldscope. The hairs looked like white filaments (Pictures 1 and 2). I think that when the
insects go through the tube they get trapped because the hairs stop them from going back out.
Then, from the tube, they go to the inside of the plant. There I saw other hairs, but they were
black. When I saw them in the Foldscope they also looked like filaments (Pictures 3 and 4), so
I think that these filaments also trap the insects, but this is where they kill them so that the
plant can eat them.
To find structures that carnivorous plants may use to trap and kill insects.
Problem
I don´t know what structures do carnivorous plants use to trap and kill insects.
Hypothesis
If I use a Foldscope to see the inside of a carnivorous plant, then I will be able to find
structures that carnivorous plants use to trap insects.
Materials
-Foldscope
-Slides
-Light source
-Pelican flower ( Aristolochia grandiflora ), a carnivore eating plant.
Procedure
Find a Pelican flower Cut the carnivore eating plant open, and collect specimens from the inside Put a sample of the carnivore eating plant in a slide Put the slide in the Foldscope Put the Foldscope in the light source Observe how the structures of the carnivore eating plant look like. Record your observations.
Results and Observations
I noticed that the plant had a tube. When I opened it, I saw little hairs, so I put them in the
Foldscope. The hairs looked like white filaments (Pictures 1 and 2). I think that when the
insects go through the tube they get trapped because the hairs stop them from going back out.
Then, from the tube, they go to the inside of the plant. There I saw other hairs, but they were
black. When I saw them in the Foldscope they also looked like filaments (Pictures 3 and 4), so
I think that these filaments also trap the insects, but this is where they kill them so that the
plant can eat them.
Conclusions
The hypothesis was correct. When I used the Folscope to see the inside of the carnivorous plant,
I saw hair-like structures that may serve for trapping and killing insects.
Lab originally created by:
Natalia Une Gross
7th Grade Methodist High School
San José, Costa Rica
The hypothesis was correct. When I used the Folscope to see the inside of the carnivorous plant,
I saw hair-like structures that may serve for trapping and killing insects.
Lab originally created by:
Natalia Une Gross
7th Grade Methodist High School
San José, Costa Rica
Sign in to commentNobody has commented yet... Share your thoughts with the author and start the discussion!
More Posts from srobles
Difference Between Cells of a Rose Petal and Cells of a Rose Leaf
0 Applause
0 Comments
Parasite Eggs
0 Applause0 Comments
Dyed Hair Effects
0 Applause0 Comments