Day 12: This Diminutive Plant, A Unique Botanical Wonder

Day Twelve: This Diminutive Plant, A Unique Botanical Wonder

6/18/11:

While suffering under the burden of essay writing for the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship (an incredible program for study abroad), one Quentin Read provided a brief and blissful moment of escapism. Our meeting at The American Flyer Café in Williams, where we endeavored to steal the WiFi, was quite serendipitous, but resulted in my acquisition of the knowledge that the carnivorous Venus' Flytrap is only indigenous to the Carolinas. Quentin, proud of this diminutive plant, sought to elevate its status in his home state of North Carolina:

Petition to have the Venus' Flytrap declared the State Carnivorous Plant of North Carolina

June 18, 2011

Beverly Perdue

Governor's Mansion

Raleigh, NC

Dear Governor Perdue:

We, the undersigned, would hereby like to petition that a motion be put before the state

Congress to the effect that the Venus' Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) be declared the State Carnivorous Plant of North Carolina. While this may seem like a strange choice to represent our great State, we believe that it is an appropriate one; it both honors a unique botanical wonder that we Tar Heels should be proud of and helps spotlight efforts to conserve this natural treasure.

The Venus' Flytrap is perhaps one of the most iconic of all plants: its image appears in

numerous places in popular culture, and many plant enthusiasts cultivate them at home. When early European botanists stumbled upon this marvel, they were stunned, dubbing it “miraculum Naturae” (miracle of Nature). Indeed, this diminutive plant holds a larger-than-life position in the annals of science: Charles Darwin was fascinated by it, and frequently cited it in his groundbreaking works.

Despite its illustrious history and worldwide renown, even most North Carolinians are not aware that the Venus' Flytrap is a native of our State. In fact, the only places it is found in the wild are located within a 70-mile radius of the city of Wilmington!

Unfortunately, the future of the Venus' Flytrap remains somewhat precarious. Throughout its

range, only six designated natural areas protect quality flytrap habitat. Land managers working for groups like the Forest Service (in the Croatan National Forest) and the Nature Conservancy (at places like the Green Swamp Preserve) are working hard to maintain the habitat of the flytrap and other plants of our bogs and savannas. Despite their efforts, it is a herculean task to conduct the prescribed burns and other management actions at a sufficiently large scale to sustain large, healthy flytrap populations across the range. Furthermore, even in so-called protected areas, the Venus' Flytrap is not completely safe. Poachers regularly make forays into these wildlands to dig up flytraps wholesale and sell them for use in the horticultural trade. In these difficult economic times, people no doubt welcome any opportunity to supplement their income, putting even more pressure on flytrap populations.

We feel that officially honoring the Venus' Flytrap with the designation as a State symbol will

help call attention to its situation and boost conservation efforts. This will also benefit another of our State's symbols: the long-leaf pine, which has also declined greatly from its historical extent. 

The Venus' Flytrap is often found in or near long-leaf pine savanna habitat, a forest type that harbors incredible biodiversity. Conserving and managing these natural areas will ensure that this biodiversity remains as a resource and as part of the natural heritage of future generations. Finally, to our knowledge, no other State has declared an official carnivorous plant: let North Carolina be the first!

Thank you very much for your attention; we look forward to your response.

Signed,

Quentin Read

Clare Boerigter

Photos: 1. Succulent on Bill Williams Mountain 2. Also not a Venus Flytrap