Insectivorous plants to grab eyeballs at Lalbagh

A year of research and foreign visits have come to fruition for Chandan Gowda, a horticulture student who is all set to display 35 different species of insectivorous plants, which derive nutrients by trapping and devouring insects.

“Of the 35 plants, 20 have come from Indonesia, Thailand and Hawaii, where most of them have entered the critically endangered list. The 15 species of insectivorous plants from the northeastern states of India include Nepenthes khasiana, the Indian species nearing extinction,” he said.

Gowda said pollution, climate change and the hunt for exotic plants were posing a threat to insectivorous plants, which take a long time to reach the reproductive (flowering) stage. “The idea behind the display is to spread awareness about the need to conserve these plants,” he said.

Importing the plant was a two-month exercise, with Gowda searching for hobbyists and nurseries with export licence in Bangkok, interior regions of Indonesia, Hawaii as well as the northeast. “It was a big learning exercise. I hope it will help in spreading the word about the importance of these plants,” he said.