Underground leaves ofPhilcoxiatrap and digest nematodes

Abstract

The recently described genus Philcoxia comprises three species restricted to well lit and low-nutrient soils in the Brazilian Cerrado. The morphological and habitat similarities of Philcoxia to those of some carnivorous plants, along with recent observations of nematodes over its subterranean leaves, prompted the suggestion that the genus is carnivorous. Here we report compelling evidence of carnivory in Philcoxia of the Plantaginaceae, a family in which no carnivorous members are otherwise known. We also document both a unique capturing strategy for carnivorous plants and a case of a plant that traps and digests nematodes with underground adhesive leaves. Our findings illustrate how much can still be discovered about the origin, distribution, and frequency of the carnivorous syndrome in angiosperms and, more generally, about the diversity of nutrientacquisition mechanisms that have evolved in plants growing in severely nutrient-impoverished environments such as the Brazilian Cerrado, one of the world's 34 biodiversity hotspots.plant carnivory | plant nutrient acquisition | campos rupestres | nitrogen | stable isotopes

Phyllosphere Bacteria Improve Animal Contribution to Plant Nutrition

“…In nutrient-poor environments, such as Brazilian savanna plants have evolved several adaptations for acquiring nutrients including carnivory or symbiotic relationships with animals (Romero et al , Gonc ßalves et al 2011, Pereira et al 2012. The symbiotic interaction between B. balansae and Psecas chapoda is one The standard errors of means are in parentheses.…”

“…In addition, some plants that live on low-fertility soils have evolved symbiotic relationships with animals that provide N (Fischer et al 2003, Romero et al 2006, Gonc ßalves et al 2011. Finally, plants can acquire N directly from insects through carnivory (Givnish et al 1994, Anderson & Midgley 2003, Pereira et al 2012, Nishi et al 2013). An important element of the symbiotic associations between animals and plants, as well as in carnivorous plants, is bacteria living on the plant phyllosphere that are important in mineralizing complex organic materials (e.g., leaves, animals and their wastes) into simple compounds that can be absorbed by the leaves (Benzing 2000, Romero et al 2006.…”

Ecology and evolution of plant diversity in the endangered campo rupestre: a neglected conservation priority

“…5d), and that of the recently-discovered underground leaves of Philcoxia (Plantaginaceae; Fig. 5e; Pereira et al 2012). In addition, there are clear examples of protocarnivory, including rosettes of Eriocaulaceae (Nishi et al 2013) andBromeliaceae (Romero et al 2006).…”

Chrysophycean stomatocysts associated with the carnivorous plants (genus Utricularia) from Jeleniak-Mikuliny Nature Reserve

“…Darnowski et al 2006, Płachno et al 2009). For instance, the syndrome has recently been confirmed in the Plantaginaceae genus Philcoxia (Pereira et al 2012). Increasingly the role of organisms such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa and invertebrates in grinding and digesting the victims of carnivorous plants has been recognized (e.g.…”