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  • Perhaps the most beautiful of North America's threatened carnivorous plant species, the white-topped pitcher plant is native to Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and the western tip of North Carolina. This surprising find in Georgia's Grady County is possibly the part of the state's easternmost population, and covered a very rural area in a pine forest no bigger than an acre.
    White-topped Pitcher Plant (Sarracen..lla)
  • Found only in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, the hooded pitcher plant is one of the smaller of our native pitcher plants found at the edges of bogs and wet pinelands. Like all carnivorous plants, nectar glands inside the "hood" attract insects where a series of hairs inside the pitcher (a modified leaf) encourages the insect downward into the tube until it cannot turn around and escape. These insects will in turn be dissolved and deliver the essential nutrients that are needed in such a plant that grows in such nutrient-poor soils. This is the blossoming flower that is ironically also pollinated by flying insects. This one was found and photographed during the summer rains in the Osceola National Forest in North Florida.
    Hooded Pitcher Plant
  • Found only in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, the hooded pitcher plant is one of the smaller of our native pitcher plants found at the edges of bogs and wet pinelands. Like all carnivorous plants, nectar glands inside the hood and white translucent "windows" attract insects where a series of hairs inside the pitcher (a modified leaf) encourages the insect downward into the tube until it cannot turn around and escape. These insects will in turn be dissolved and deliver the essential nutrients that are needed in such a plant that grows in such nutrient-poor soils. This one was found and photographed during the summer rains in the Osceola National Forest in North Florida.
    Hooded Pitcher Plant
  • Close-up of the flower of Schnell's pitcher plant (Sarracenia flava var. rugelii) found growing in the Apalachicola National Forest in Northern Florida. This stunning carnivorous insect-eating plant is found in seepage bogs across  the East gulf coastal plain from Alabama to Virginia, and is a subspecies of the more common yellow pitcher plant.
    Flower of Schnell's Pitcher Plant
  • A purple pitcher plant in flower in a bog in Liberty County, Florida. This petite carnivorous plant tends to be a bright red color when growing in the open where it is exposed to more sunlight, as compared to those that grow in the shade.
    Parrot Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia psi..ina)
  • Found only in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, the hooded pitcher plant is one of the smaller of our native pitcher plants found at the edges of bogs and wet pinelands. Like all carnivorous plants, red coloration and sweet nectar glands inside the "hood" attract insects where a series of hairs inside the pitcher (a modified leaf) encourages the insect downward into the tube until it cannot turn around and escape. These insects will in turn be dissolved and deliver the essential nutrients that are needed in such a plant that grows in such nutrient-poor soils. This one was found and photographed during the summer rains in the Osceola National Forest in North Florida.
    Hooded Pitcher Plant
  • Close-up of yellow pitcher plants in the Apalachicola National Forest, Fl. Insects are lured with with a sweet secretion, trapped, and digested by this carnivorous plant.
    Yellow Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia flava)
  • A field of Schnell's pitcher plants with some yellow pitcher plants in the foreground in the Apalachicola National Forest. Among these were numerous other types of carnivorous plants, as well as a couple types of terrestrial orchids. This is a regular stop for us when we are in the area, and something that really must be experienced. No photograph can do it justice!
    Schnell's Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia ..lii)
  • Huge Schnell's pitcher plants growing in the Apalachicola National Forest. These carnivorous plants grow in poor soil, and get what they can't get from the soil by trapping and digesting insects inside these long trumpet-like leaves, which are lured by a sweet-smelling nectar. They are absolutely incredible to see in the wild!
    Schnell's Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia ..lii)
  • The beautiful flower of the gulf purple pitcher plant, growing in the Apalachicola National Forest - world renowned for it's carnivorous plant biodiversity.
    Gulf Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarraceni..sea)
  • White-topped pitcher plants growing in a North Florida bog among a healthy population of threadleaf sundews - another carnivorous plant.
    White-topped Pitcher Plant (Sarracen..lla)
  • The beautiful and intricate design of red veins in the white-topped pitcher plant.
    White-topped Pitcher Plant (Sarracen..lla)
  • The gulf purple pitcher plant is the only Florida pitcher plant that collects rainwater - possibly as part of its insect-catching strategy.
    Gulf Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarraceni..sea)
  • Seen from above, the California pitcher plant (Darlingtonia californica) grows well in sunny, wet places with poor soil nutrients. Unusual for pitcher plants, the water contained inside the covered (or hooded) pitchers is drawn in from the roots instead of using rainwater. This may possibly be a way to keep from diluting the enzymes in the "trap" that are used to dissolve and break down the trapped insects in a climate where there is so much rainfall.  These were found growing in a peat bog in rural Josephine County, Oregon near the California border.
    California Pitcher Plant
  • This particularly beautiful pitcher plant next to one of its flowers is very striking and not easily confused with other of our native pitcher plants. The green tubular leaves that trap insect prey are hooded, which keeps water out (unusual from most pitcher plants that collect rainwater) and insects in. This particular shape gives it another commonly used name - the cobra lily. This one was found growing in a peat bog in rural Josephine County, Oregon near the California border.
    California Pitcher Plant
  • A cluster of parrot pitcher plants growing in the Apalachicola National Forest. This is the smallest and most common pitcher plant to be found in Florida.
    Parrot Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia psi..ina)
  • Close-up of the hairs underneath the "umbrella" part of the pitcher plant that guide the unsuspecting insects into the trap, or pitcher. Look closely and you can see the 13-14 gnats tangled among these hairs.
    White-topped Pitcher Plant (Sarracen..lla)
  • The "umbrella-less" short and stumpy gulf pitcher plant in flower growing in a roadside ditch in the Apalachicola National Forest.
    Gulf Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarraceni..sea)
  • The elegant and beautiful white-topped pitcher plant growing in a Liberty County seepage bog. This location is possibly the easternmost population in Florida.
    White-topped Pitcher Plant (Sarracen..lla)
  • The flowers of the California pitcher plant open downward unlike many other species of our native pitcher plants, and this is believed to to keep water out, while allowing pollinators in. Wet flowers tend not to get pollinated. This makes sense as they are native to Northern California and Southern Oregon and if there's one thing the Pacific Northwest gets, it's a lot of rain. These were found growing in a peat bog in rural Josephine County, Oregon near the California border.
    Flower of the California Pitcher Plant
  • The flowers of the California pitcher plant open downward unlike many other species of our native pitcher plants, and this is believed to to keep water out, while allowing pollinators in. Wet flowers tend not to get pollinated. This makes sense as they are native to Northern California and Southern Oregon and if there's one thing the Pacific Northwest gets, it's a lot of rain. These were found growing in a peat bog in rural Josephine County, Oregon near the California border.
    Flower of the California Pitcher Plant
  • The flowers of the California pitcher plant open downward unlike many other species of our native pitcher plants, and this is believed to to keep water out, while allowing pollinators in. Wet flowers tend not to get pollinated. This makes sense as they are native to Northern California and Southern Oregon and if there's one thing the Pacific Northwest gets, it's a lot of rain. These were found growing in a peat bog in rural Josephine County, Oregon near the California border.
    Flower of the California Pitcher Plant
  • Very large yellow pitcher plants growing on the edge of Tate's Hell State Forest in Gulf County on the Florida Panhandle coast. Many of these had spiders' traps inside - robbing the plants of their ability to catch insects.
    Yellow Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia flava)
  • Yellow pitcher plants found growing in a dried bog in the Apalachicola National Forest. At times, whole prairies can be loaded with these large trumpet-shaped plants!
    Yellow Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia flava)
  • When traveling through the Apalachicola National Forest in Liberty County, Florida, yellow pitcher plants stand in groves in the seepage bogs along several of the roads.
    Yellow Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia flava)
  • A field of California pitcher plants (Darlingtonia californica) growing in a wet bog in full flower! The flowers of this carnivorous plant open downward unlike many other species of our native pitcher plants, and this is believed to to keep water out, while allowing pollinators in. Wet flowers tend not to get pollinated. This makes sense as they are native to Northern California and Southern Oregon and if there's one thing the Pacific Northwest gets, it's a lot of rain. These were found growing in a peat bog in rural Josephine County, Oregon near the California border.
    California Pitcher Plants
  • A field of California pitcher plants (Darlingtonia californica) growing in a wet bog in full flower! The flowers of this carnivorous plant open downward unlike many other species of our native pitcher plants, and this is believed to to keep water out, while allowing pollinators in. Wet flowers tend not to get pollinated. This makes sense as they are native to Northern California and Southern Oregon and if there's one thing the Pacific Northwest gets, it's a lot of rain. These were found growing in a peat bog in rural Josephine County, Oregon near the California border.
    California Pitcher Plants
  • A field of California pitcher plants (Darlingtonia californica) growing in a wet bog in full flower! The flowers of this carnivorous plant open downward unlike many other species of our native pitcher plants, and this is believed to to keep water out, while allowing pollinators in. Wet flowers tend not to get pollinated. This makes sense as they are native to Northern California and Southern Oregon and if there's one thing the Pacific Northwest gets, it's a lot of rain. These were found growing in a peat bog in rural Josephine County, Oregon near the California border.
    California Pitcher Plants
  • Close-up of a single pitcher - which is a actually modified leaf. Chemical attractants lure unsuspecting insects, and the downward pointing hairs  on the "ramp" lead them into the trap. Here enzymes within the collected rainwater will digest its prey and provide the necessary nutrients needed for growth and propagation.
    Gulf Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarraceni..sea)
  • A free-floating leafy bladderwort in flower as it floats in the swampy water of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the Florida Panhandle. This interesting carnivorous plant has tiny sensitive traps in its root-like strictures that capture tiny invertebrates as they seek shelter that it will ingest as a food source.
    Leafy Bladderwort
  • The world's most famous carnivorous plant - the venus flytrap, growing wild in a bog in North Florida. These natives to the American Southeast - primarily North and South Carolina, have been spreading and thriving in the Apalachicola National Forest.
    Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)
  • The terrestrial or semi-aquatic horned bladderwort growing in Monroe County in the Big Cypress National Preserve. This  small carnivorous plant can catch small animals with tiny contracting bladders that suddenly open upon contact and suck in the prey by an inrush of water or air, and trapping it within with a flap-like membrane. These bladders are located among the root-like leaves.
    Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta)
  • Close-up view of the hundreds of shiny, sticky hairs that attract and entrap insects. Doomed insects will then be digested with powerful enzymes and absorbed by the plant. This enables the Tracy's sundew to thrive in areas where the soil is very poor in nutrients and highly acidic.
    Threadleaf Sundew (Drosera tracyi)
  • The tiny and beautiful pink sundew has many leaves with sticky pads arranged in a rosette. These sticky sweet drops of muscilage attract flying insects that become trapped and then are slowly digested by the plant.
    Pink Sundew (Drosera capillaris)
  • The common butterwort found growing on some wet rocks on the edge of a mountain stream high up in the Olympic Mountains below Hurricane Ridge in NW Washington. Look closely and you can just see the buds which in about a few weeks will extend out above the sticky leaves and produce a beautiful purple flower. These sticky leaves trap insects which the plant will dissolve and ingest as food. Look closer and you will see one mosquito already caught!
    Common Butterwort (Pinguicula vulgar..ras)
  • The aquatic leafy bladderwort growing in the wetlands of the Big Cypress National Preserve in Monroe County. This was photographed in the beginning of the dry season, and receding water levels left this plant high and dry.
    Leafy Bladderwort (Utricularia foliosa)
  • Also known as flyweed or flycatcher, tarflowers are an interesting member of the heath family that have a little problem: they rely on insect pollinators such as bees, flies and butterflies to pollinate them, but they also excrete a very sticky substance from the flowers (especially in the center) that often ends up trapping insets. While this appears to make it a carnivorous plant, it doesn't actually consume or use any of the insects that unfortunately die. This incredibly beautiful and fragrant flowering shrub is is found all over Florida except the Panhandle, the Keys and the Everglades. This one was found far out in the the woods of Northeastern Collier County.
    Tarflowers
  • Several silvery green threadleaf sundews growing on the edge of this pond  in North Florida.
    Threadleaf Sundew (Drosera tracyi)
  • These modified leaves emit a sweet attractant complete with red color that insects cannot resist. Once the sensitive hairs within the "trap" sense an insect (or photographer's finger) the trap will slam shut.
    Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)
  • The beautiful green and white flowers of the venus flytrap, in full bloom in summer in a North Florida seepage bog.
    Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)
  • The beautiful and unusual purple bladderwort grows among the flooded swamps in the Apalachicola National Forest.
    Purple Bladderwort (Utricularia purp..rea)
  • The delicate and beautiful small butterwort is often found growing out of flooded prairies and cypress domes of the Big Cypress National Preserve.
    Small Butterwort (Pinguicula pumila)
  • A very common find in some of the seepage bogs of the Apalachicola National Forest, the leaves of these beautifully colored butterworts are covered in tiny sticky hairs that trap and digest unsuspecting insects.
    Chapman's Butterwort (Pinguicula pla..lia)
  • A tight cluster of panhandle butterworts growing among some small pond cypress trees in Liberty County, Florida.
    Panhandle Butterwort (Pinguicula ion..tha)
  • The yellow butterwort - the only one with a pure yellow flower, blooming on a cool spring morning in the Apalachicola National Forest.
    Yellow Butterwort (Pinguicula lutea)
  • A chapman's butterwort growing in Liberty County, Florida alongside another unidentified butterwort - perhaps the green form of the same species. In this photo, you can see the fine short hairs on the greasy leaves that attract and trap flying insects.
    Chapman's Butterwort (Pinguicula pla..lia)
  • The submerged leaves of the purple bladderwort have small, basket-like bladders with sensitive hairs around a closed trap door. When small swimming animals make contact with one of these hairs, the bladder sharply expands, sucking the prey inside where it will be digested slowly.
    Purple Bladderwort (Utricularia purp..rea)
  • The delicate and beautiful small butterwort is often found growing out of flooded prairies and cypress domes of the Big Cypress National Preserve.
    Small Butterwort (Pinguicula pumila)
  • The aquatic leafy bladderwort growing in the flooded prairies of the Big Cypress National Preserve in Southwest Florida.
    Leafy Bladderwort (Utricularia foliosa)
  • Also known by many other common names such as Catesby's lily, leopard lily, tiger lily, and southern-red lily, the wondrously beautiful pine lily is found natively throughout most of the Southeastern United States, Puerto Rico, various Caribbean Islands and even in parts of Central and South America. In North America, it blooms in late summer through to the fall in savannahs and moist pine flatwoods with somewhat acidic soils from Louisiana to Virginia, sometimes in association with carnivorous plants that require the same soil type. This one was found growing in the Estero Bay Preserve in Lee County, Fl.
    Pine Lily
  • One of my favorite wildflowers of wet meadows and bogs, the grass of Parnassus is a very striking and delicate native that has a somewhat confusing name, as it isn't even closely related to grasses. That name for the genus came from Greek botanist Dioscorides who described it as a grass-like plant that grew on the side of Mount Parnassus. The description was wrong, but the name stuck. It is found in every state and province in continental North America from the Rocky Mountains and west, excluding Arizona. This beauty was found at a very high elevation in the Olympic Mountains on Washington's Hurricane ridge growing next to some carnivorous butterworts between permanently wet rocks.
    Fringed Grass of Parnassus