Genlisea ( ) is a genus of carnivorous plants also known as corkscrew plants. The 30 or so species grow in wet terrestrial to semi-aquatic environments distributed throughout Africa and Central and South America. The plants use highly modified underground leaves to attract, trap and digest minute microfauna, particularly protozoans. Although suggested a century earlier by Charles Darwin, carnivory in the genus was not proven until 1998.

The generic name Genlisea honors the French writer and educator Stéphanie Félicité Ducrest de St-Albin, comtesse de Genlis.

Several species in the genus, including G. margaretae, G. aurea, and G. tuberosa, possess the smallest known genomes of all flowering plants.

Description

thumb|left|[[Genlisea subglabra leaves]]

Genlisea are small herbs, growing from a slender rhizome and bearing two morphologically distinct leaf typesphotosynthetic foliage leaves aboveground and highly modified subterranean leaves used to trap prey. The plants lack roots, although the subterranean traps perform many of the functions normally performed by roots, such as anchorage and absorption of water and nutrients.

Several to many flowers are held by a slender, erect, and often tall inflorescence. As in other members of the bladderwort family, the corolla is fused into a bilobed tube tapering to a spur, with the lower lip of the corolla having three lobes. Corolla colors are generally yellow or violet to mauve, although a few species are white or cream. which are small hairs that store and secrete secondary metabolites in order to provide protection from herbivory. The glandular trichomes contain no nectar secretion, suggesting that they are scent glands. Phosphatase has been detected in all types of glands, allowing for the breakdown of prey and uptake of phosphorus in low-nutrient soils. Although not completely understood, the oxygen concentration inside Genlisea traps is negligible. For this reason, it is thought that anoxic conditions could be the mechanisms in which prey are killed. At the same time, anaerobic bacteria survive.

Taxonomy

Twenty-nine species are currently recognised in the genus. Two varieties are also considered valid: G. aurea var. minor and the autonymous G. aurea var. aurea.

{| class="sortable wikitable"

! Species !! Authority !! Year !! Image !! Distribution !! Subgenus !! Section!!Genome size (Mbp) || Rivadavia & A.Fleischm. || 2011 || || South America || Tayloria || - ||

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|Genlisea filiformis || A.St.-Hil. || 1833 || 100px || South America, Central America, Cuba || Genlisea ||Genlisea || -

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|Genlisea flexuosa || Rivadavia, Gonella & A.Fleischm. || 2013 || || South America || Genlisea || Genlisea || 61 For example, the genome of G. nigrocaulis is 86 Mbp (1C; 2n = 40) while that of its close relative G. hispidula (1C; 2n = 40) is 1550 Mbp, 18-fold larger. More than one genome size has been measured in G. aurea and G. repens, suggesting that di- and tetraploid individuals exist.), green algae, microbial fungi, protists of SAR group, and minute metazoans. Through extensive research, the trap's bacterial community has been discovered as serving the ecological importance of being prey due to Genlisea plants relying on the digestive enzymatic systems from microbes in order to aid their own carnivorous digestion.

References

  • The Carnivorous Plant Society Full Carnivorous plant list.