猪笼草：一种心胸宽广的“肉食”植物

在我们的印象中，往往会把猪笼草与“吃小动物”这样恐怖的概念划等号。其实，猪笼草也可以很亲切大方，与小动物和平相处，让我们看看这到底是怎么回事吧!

The pitcher plant is probably the most mysterious plant in the whole wide universe. With its unique ability to obtain food, it has inspired many people to reshape their concept on how nature works. As we might have already known, pitcher plants eat small insects. They use a sweet-smelling juice to lure an unsuspecting insect into the mouth. When the insect is unable to climb back, it can only flails[1] helplessly in the fluid until it loses energy and submits to the overpowering force of its fate. Larger pitchers could even trap small frog, snakes and birds inside.

Sound scary? Pitcher plants are actually very alluring and beautiful plants. A Canadian country even makes it the official flower. Yes, it’s true! In fact, the New Foundland and Labrador province in Canada has the Purple pitcher plant as its one and only floral emblem.

Meat-eating is just an everyday happening for these pretty pitcher plants. Even though they are deadly traps for mosquitoes, they can be very generous and have amazing relationships with other animals. On a report, the scientists in Brunei have finally discovered why one pitcher beauty, the Nepenthes rajah is one of the biggest in the world! Though its mouth could very well swallow a whole tree shrew[2], the researchers were confused that throughout the years of their study, they were not able to find even a single dead individual inside.

Suddenly, the answer finally showed itself one day. Upon examining the inside contents of the Nepenthes rajah, they discovered a freshly delivered fecal matter[3] and soon found out that its owner is the resident tree shrew who lived nearby. Further tests have led them to conclude that indeed these little primate[4] relatives make toilet bowls out of the pitcher plant!

If you think that their relationship is strange enough, hear this: it seems that the tree shrew was not the only that shares this close friendship with the pitchers! Still, on the forests of Brunei, the biologists have ascertained that bats also use the plant’s “facilities” as its rest room. And, not only that—do you know that these winged mammals can also afford to make it as its dormitory? Yes, the pitcher plant, the ever-generous landlady, has even made a girdle on its side to serve as the bat’s bed!

Unlike us humans, the pitcher plants think that this is a very lucky thing! Actually, every waste matter that is excreted[5] by all animals is rich in nitrogen. And we learn in school that nitrogen is very helpful for all plants in their growth and development.

Then, what could excite you more than seeing these wonderful pitchers standing in front of you? With the convenience of modern technology, we would only not see them in pictures—but you could actually bring home one if you want to! See the nature unravel its wonders within the confines of your own home. Inspire great curiosity and knowledge on children as they open their eyes to the fact that mother Earth indeed holds wonderful secrets that they have yet to unlock!

猪笼草恐怕是整个浩瀚宇宙中最神秘的植物了。它获取食物的独特方式激发很多人改变了自己对大自然生态机制的看法。正如我们所知的那样，猪笼草会吃一些小昆虫。它们分泌出一种香甜的汁液，把毫无警惕心的昆虫诱骗到嘴里。当昆虫无法再爬出来的时候，它只能无助地在粘液中乱动挣扎，直到没有力气，最终屈从于命运无法抗拒的安排。大的猪笼草甚至还能将小青蛙、小蛇以及小鸟困在里面。

听起来很恐怖吧?但猪笼草其实是一种很有诱惑性又漂亮的植物。加拿大某地区甚至把猪笼草视为当地的官方花朵。没错儿，这是真的!事实上，加拿大的纽芬兰–拉布拉多省就把紫色的猪笼草作为本省唯一的省花。

对于这些漂亮的猪笼草来说，肉是每天必不可少的一餐。尽管这对于蚊子来说是死路一条，但同时猪笼草也可以相当大度，与其他动物有着惊人的微妙关系。文莱的科学家们在一份报告中指出，他们最终发现为什么马来王猪笼草(一种美丽的猪笼草)是世界上最大的猪笼草之一!虽然它的嘴大得足以吞下一整只树鼩，但是在这么多年的研究中，研究人员却从未在马来王猪笼草中找到一具树鼩尸体，这令他们十分困惑。

突然有一天，答案不言自明。经过对马来王猪笼草内部物质的检查，他们发现了刚刚排泄的粪便，接着很快便查出它的主人就是住在旁边的树鼩。更多的测试引导研究人员得出了这样一个结论：这些灵长类动物的小近亲们确实把猪笼草当作马桶来使用了!

如果你觉得他们之间的关系太奇怪的话，那么听听这个吧：看来不仅仅是树鼩能与猪笼草享有如此亲密的友好关系!同样，在文莱的森林中，生物学家已查明：蝙蝠也把这种植物的“卫生设备”当作厕所使用。不仅如此——你知不知道这些会飞的哺乳动物还可以把它变成自己的卧室?是的，这种植物正是猪笼草，它是胸怀最宽广的房东，甚至它的侧面还有个围挡给蝙蝠当床用呢!

与我们人类不同，猪笼草把这当作是一件很幸运的事!事实上，任何动物的排泄物都含有丰富的氮。我们在学校也学过氮对于所有植物的生长和发育都十分重要。

那么，还有什么事能比亲眼看到这些神奇的猪笼草出现在你面前更令人激动呢?由于现代科技带来的便利，我们不仅能在照片中看到猪笼草，如果你想的话，其实也可以带一个回家养!这样在自家里便能看到大自然是如何揭开奇迹般的神秘面纱的。当孩子们看到地球母亲确实有许多令人惊奇且尚未揭开的谜题时，这就能激发他们的好奇心并帮助他们增长知识。