'False Asphodel': Scientists Discover New Type Of Meat-Eating Flower In North America

Scientists recently discovered a carnivorous flower in North American wetlands. Known as the "False asphodel", the flower is officially called "Triantha occidentalis" and receives a major chunk of its nutrients from consuming insects.

Known for its green stalks that bloom luminous white flowers, the plant is found across North America - from the warm and fuzzy beaches of California to the snow-capped mountains of Alaska.

Until now, scientists had no idea that the flower fed on other organisms to survive. Perhaps that's how it has managed to survive in an array of climatic conditions.

Kelly Fretwell/Biodiversity of the Central Coast

How was False Asphodel's love for meat discovered?

The carnivorous flower was found by botanist Qianshi Lin, whose classmate from the University of British Columbia suggested that the flower's stalks resemble sticky traps which are used by plants to isolate insects, as reported by National Geographic.

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Soon after, Lin became interested in the how the plant feeds itself. What's uncanny is that botanists had identified the plant over 100 years ago, but are just now finding out how it manages to survive.

Lin's research proves that the "False asphodel" isolates and digests small insects, most of which contribute to nitrogen-a, the basic nutrient found in the plant's leaves.

US Department of Agriculture

Why is this discovery groundbreaking? How do plants consume insects?

Until now, scientists were sure about how plants became carnivorous over time. They pinned the surprising diet of such plants on 11 evolutionary processes across different species. With "false asphodel", they've ascertained the existence of 12th such process that enables plants to become carnivorous.

"False asphodels", like most carnivorous plants use sticky and coloured hairs to trap the insects. After this, enzymes are released to aid digestion of the insects, allowing the plants to absorb small animals.

Unlike sundews - a genus containing 150 plants that are known to be carnivorous, the biological family of "false asphodels" - "Tofieldiaceae" has no known meat eaters.

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In addition, the asphodels have an extremely short growing season. They usually sprout in May once the snow recedes, followed by flowering season in June and July. By the beginning of autumn, most asphodels produce seeds and wither away.

Most carnivorous plants thrive in regions that are extremely sunny and poor in terms of nutrient availability. Plants require a robust energy generation mechanism to be able to support meat-eating structures.

Kelly Fretwell/Biodiversity of the Central Coast

Its complex nature is why only 0.2 per cent of flowering plants possess carnivorous abilities. What makes this plant peculiar? According to Lin, the plant was mistaken as ordinary due to its hairs that are extremely small and that sprout up only on the stalks of the flower - a feature that separates it from other meat-eating plants.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on August 9, 2021 reveals that a major chunk of this plant's diet consists of flies and tiny ants.

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