Darwin's Carnivorous Plant Theory Confirmed by Researchers

More than 150 years after Charles Darwin proposed that saxifrages were carnivorous, researchers have confirmed he was right, studying Saxifraga candelabrum on Wufeng Mountain in Yunnan province, China. Doug Soltis at the University of Florida called the confirmation humbling and very exciting, adding Darwin would be pleased. The team observed mature plants with over 70 trapped insects, mostly gnats, and found digestive enzymes in the sticky hairs.

Nitrogen isotope tests showed nutrient uptake, and genetic studies revealed shared genes with other carnivorous plants. Hang Sun of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said the genomic data provide independent evidence that S. candelabrum is a true carnivorous plant. Soltis expects re-examination of other Saxifraga species, noting many family members have similar hairs.

The study appears in Nature Communications. Talk about an amazing feeling, Soltis said.