Question

Which plant part is modified into pitcher in pitcher plants?
A. Root
B. Stem
C. Leaf
D. Flower

Answer 1

Hint: The pitcher plant is a type of carnivorous plant. These plants rely and feed on ingesting insects for the fulfilment of certain nutrients like nitrogen. To catch and ingest their prey, the part that usually produces the food modifies into special structures like bladders or pitchers.

Complete Answer:
Carnivorous or insectivorous plants are defined as the plants that derive most of their nutrients but not energy (which is obtained by photosynthesis) by capturing and feeding other organisms. They usually occur in areas where the soil lacks many necessary nutrients such as nitrogen and hence, they develop the insectivorous mechanisms. In order to capture and feed the insects, these plants develop certain specialized structures.

Now let us find solution from given options:
- Root: One of the types of modification that is seen in plants is root modification where generally roots are specially modified for storage of water and starch. Examples of root modified plants include carrot, radish, etc.
- Stem: Stem modification, is defined in which the stem is modified in either above ground, underground, or aerial which enables the plant to survive in a particular environment. Examples of stem modified plants include ginger, potato, onion, etc.
- Leaf: In pitchers, the leaves are usually modified to form pitfall traps, this type of modification is observed in a pitcher plant.
- Flower: Flower modification is not observed anywhere.

Our required option is C that is Leaf.

Note: There are many other trap mechanisms present such as Snap trap mechanisms exhibited by the leaves of the Venus flytrap and leaf curling response shown in Drosera. Apart from the trapping mechanisms that actually trap the prey, these plants also possess bright colours and fragrance to lure the insects or prey towards the traps.