MANILA – Scientists have discovered a rat-eating plant in the Philippines, and named it after Sir David Attenborough!
A team of botanists led by Stewart McPherson discovered the plant during an expedition to Mount Victoria in the Philippines. The giant pitcher plant is so large that it can catch rats in it’s pouch and dissolve them with enzymes. It is a similar process to that of the venus fly trap, except on a bigger scale.
The botanists also found giant centipedes and 4-inch long spiders in the pouches of the plants.
The discovery was part of a long-term expedition to identify all known pitcher plants. The team began hunting for the rat-eating plant on Mount Victoria after missionaries reported seeing the plants in 2000.
McPherson and his team also found another large pitcher plant last seen more than 100 years ago, and a sundew, which secretes sticky droplets from tentacles to kill insects.
Said McPherson, “It’s one of the largest, there’s only one or two that are any bigger. It is big enough to catch rats. That one of the largest carnivorous plants had remained undiscovered until the 21st century is remarkable.”
They decided to name the plant after famous TV nature specialist Sir David Attenborough. This is nothing new for Attenborough, who already has a prehistoric lizard, a parasitic wasp, a spiny anteater and a fossilised fish named after him.
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August 19th, 2009 at 6:49 am
Why give credit to someone who was never there? No offense to Attenborough, but he displayed selfishness by accepting this. How many more organisms does he have to have his name pinned on? Name this plant after the missionaries who found it.
August 19th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
To the editor: Please use the correct photo for this news. The title is Nepenthes Attenboroughii but you were using the image of Nepenthes Northiana. Please correct this news!
September 12th, 2009 at 9:05 am
you stupid botanist machperson.you came here to do study without proper coordination, you and youre colluege are not the only person observed this plant and the missionary who lost in mount victoria. many native people know that plant before since to thier roots, for your information!!! understand! you transported the specemen without gratitious permit you did a bio prospecting thats against the law moron….
yoy name the pitcher plant after your collegue thats a shit
youre such a f***** botanist
October 12th, 2009 at 6:34 am
Naming the pitcher plant after yours is so disgusting!!! Please give yourself a little bit of respect!! STUPID!
October 17th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
The paper describing this species was published with 2 Filipino scientists and had support from the PCSD and DENR in Palawan. You should get your facts right before being so rude to the scientists in question; they are helping Filipinos to understand their own wonderful biodiversity, whereas you just sound ignorant.
Of course such plants may have been seen by the natives, but the fact is that they don't know they are new, and don't publish them in journals. Practically everything that is described as new has been seen before – but if you don't know enough to recognise that it is new or not, then you cannot get any credit for describing it. For the record, the natives are thanked in the paper also – you can download it online and see for yourself.