Feeding behaviour of carnivorous Genlisea plants in the laboratory

Genlisea is a terrestrial carnivorous plant which occurs mainly in nutrient-poor soil. It has been known that individuals of ciliates Paramecium caudatum are trapped and digested by this plant. Our observations show that Genlisea can trap not only Protozoa but also bigger animals, that their prey depend on the kind of available organisms and that prey were trapped passively. In the laboratory, Genlisea traps contained a variety of organisms: bacteria, algae, protozoans, nematodes, rotifers, annelids, tardigrades, crustaceans and mites.