Rare carnivorous plant discovered
A rare carnivorous plant has found its way into the campus of Dinajpur Government College, triggering curiosity among students and teachers, particularly those studying botany.
Sundew, a carnivorous plant of around an inch in height, is mostly found in Australia and South Africa. Students and teachers of Dinajpur Government College discovered three such plants on their campus on January 15.
The tiny reddish plant lives on insects and has unique trap mechanism to catch preys, said Delwar Hossain, assistant teacher of botany at the college.
“Its tiny arms or stems are covered with sticky filaments which not only catch but also digest small insects. The arms or stems fold in to hold the insect inside until it is completely digested.”
According to botany teachers at the college, Drosera Rotundifolia, the scientific name of the plant, is almost never found in Bangladesh and is usually seen in northern Europe, Siberia, Japan, Korea and northern north America.
A total of 130 species of the plant are found across the globe. They once used to grow in some parts of Dinajpur and Rangpur districts, Delwar noted.
“In 1997, former head of the botany department, Razab Ali Mollah, spotted the plant on campus. It has made a successful return this winter,” he said.
During a visit to the college on Saturday, this correspondent saw the plant which had 4cm rounded leaves and around 2/3 inches long blossoms in the middle. The plant glistens in sunlight to attract pollinators.
Two of the plants have already been taken to the college laboratory for examination.
“We had read about carnivorous plants but examining it will help us learn about it in a more practical manner,” said Mosaddek Hossain, a student pursuing masters in botany at the college.
Assistant Prof Babul Hossain said they were taking initiatives to protect the rare plant.
“It would be helpful for the students if they get to learn about it using practical methods,” he said. The academician urged the government and researchers to step forward to protect the plant.
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