Pinguicula crystallina subsp. hirtiflora

302_7879 [Pinguicula crystallina subsp. hirtiflora]

Pinguicula crystallina subsp. hirtiflora can be found on a variety of habitats:
at sea level or at various heights up to 1700 m; in warm sunny areas, or in areas exposed to frost and snow.
We found it on a relatively dark, vertical, wet rock in a gorge on Mt. Olympos.
Looks innocent but is it? Not so much for insects. It is carnivorous!
Its leaves are covered with sticky glands that produce a liquid that attracts insects. When insects land on the leaves, they are trapped, gradually dissolved by the glands and eventually absorbed by the plant. The reason? Pinguicula grows predominantly on nutritionally poor grounds. So, it uses the insects as a “food supplement” highly recommended by Mother Nature!

Photographed on Mt. Olympos on June 07, 2010
 

Photo: Courtesy of Nikos Nikitidis

“Tagton and Co” on the way to the spot where Pinguicula was found