Indian Pitcher Plant
Nepenthes khasiana
Indian Pitcher Plant is a carnivorous plant endemic to the Khasi hills of Meghalaya after which it is named. The species has a very localised distribution and is critically endangered. The Khasi people call the plant tiew-rakot, which means demon-flower or devouring-plant. The plant has long, oblong-lanceshaped leaves. Some unusual leaves first look like normal leaves, then develop a tendril at their tip, and finally the tip of the tendril develops an amazing pitcher, with a lid on top. As the pitcher matures, the lid turns a reddish hue. When an insect goes inside, the lid closes, and the insect is eventually digested.
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