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Oni2:Slaves of War/Neo-Biology: Difference between revisions
→Carnivorous plants: wasn't going to add pitcher plants originally, but then I learned this
(→To develop: +sea ginger) |
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*Everyone's seen the [[wikipedia:Venus fly trap|Venus fly trap]] catch a fly. It's actually the most primitive and slowest plant carnivore, as you'll see. But here's some interesting nuances that you probably didn't know: | *Everyone's seen the [[wikipedia:Venus fly trap|Venus fly trap]] catch a fly. It's actually the most primitive and slowest plant carnivore, as you'll see. But here's some interesting nuances that you probably didn't know: | ||
**It has a short-term memory. A single stimulus won't close the trap; it has to feel two movements within ~20 seconds in order to close. This seems to border on the whole "domain of the mechanical" thing once again. | **It has a short-term memory. A single stimulus won't close the trap; it has to feel two movements within ~20 seconds with separate hairs in order to close. This seems to border on the whole "domain of the mechanical" thing once again. | ||
**The fly trap also allows smaller bugs to escape if trapped, and then re-opens early. | **The fly trap also allows smaller bugs to escape if trapped, and then re-opens early. | ||
**The other carnivores are extremely widespread, but the venus is only found natively within a 60 mile radius of Wilmington, North Carolina, USA (200 miles from where I live). | **The other carnivores are extremely widespread, but the venus is only found natively within a 60 mile radius of Wilmington, North Carolina, USA (200 miles from where I live). | ||
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**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Drosera_capensis_bend.JPG | **http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Drosera_capensis_bend.JPG | ||
**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Drosera_anglica_ne2.jpg | **http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Drosera_anglica_ne2.jpg | ||
*Pitcher plants can get large enough to [http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/08/18/meat.eating.plant/ trap and digest rodents]. | |||
*The [[wikipedia:Waterwheel_Plant|waterwheel plant]] grows in water and uses underwater, floating whorls to catch bugs. | *The [[wikipedia:Waterwheel_Plant|waterwheel plant]] grows in water and uses underwater, floating whorls to catch bugs. | ||
**Its flowers are only seen for a few hours before they are pulled underwater. | **Its flowers are only seen for a few hours before they are pulled underwater. | ||
**In the winter, it detaches buds called turions to sit at the bottom of the water. These survive extremely frigid conditions while the main plant dies. Once warmer weather returns, they "reduce their density" | **In the winter, it detaches buds called turions to sit at the bottom of the water. These survive extremely frigid conditions while the main plant dies. Once warmer weather returns, they "reduce their density" and rise to the surface in order to germinate and begin growing. | ||
*The [[wikipedia:Bladderwort|bladderwort]] has a complex vacuum-powered flushing trap that catches bugs instantly. | *The [[wikipedia:Bladderwort|bladderwort]] has a complex vacuum-powered flushing trap that catches bugs instantly. | ||