An Animal flower.
The inhabitants of St. Lucia have laUly discovered a most' wonderful pltnt. It grows in a oavern, in an immense basin of brackish water that hai overflowed from the sea. Tilt bottom of the basin is covered with pebbles, and each pebble with from one to five of theie plants, whiob, for want of a better name, are termed animal flowers.' The oarioui creaturei, which are in all •hadei of colour, remind one of a beautiful flow«r-bed. To the sight they are perfect flowers, but on the approach of a hand or a stick they retire oat of sight. Close examination shows that the middle of the flower-like duo ii provided with four filaments, which move round the petals with a brisk, spontaneous motion. Each of these filaments is provided with pincers for receiving prey. They live upon the spawn of oih and marine insects. Whenever the pincers on the filaments make a catch the petals immediately close, and there is no escape for whatever has been so unfortunate as to fall into the voracious creature's maw.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MH18970417.2.18
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Manawatu Herald, 17 April 1897, Page 3
Word count
Tapeke kupu
180An Animal flower. Manawatu Herald, 17 April 1897, Page 3
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in