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Meat-eating underground plant found
Monday, 28 August 2000 13:07 (ET)
Meat-eating underground plant found LAKE WALES, Fla., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Scientists at a biological station in Lake Wales, Fla., have found a rare underground carniverous plant, the St. Petersburg Times reported Monday. The species of utricularia grows underground and eats nematodes and other tiny underground creatures with a nodule that sucks the meat into the plant. The organism was discovered at the Central Florida Archbold Biological Station in Lake Wales. Discoverers of the plant were botanists Kevin Hogan of the University of Florida and fellow botanist Stephen Mulkey. "Here's something that's beyond belief," marveled Hogan. He said the species is unlike any other. Utricularia can conduct photosynthesis underground due to the white quartz sand at the 5,100 acre biological station. By growing underground, the plant is protected from evaporation. It has leaves that grow upward and roots that grow downward from the underground main stalk. Now that utricularia has been discovered on Lake Wales Ridge, site of the biological station, scientists are looking for more of the organism on the grounds. -- Copyright 2000 by United Press International. All rights reserved. --
-- Uncle Bob (Unclb0b@aol.com), August 28, 2000
Hope some fool doesn't get the bright idea to gene-splice this thing with a potato plant.
-- Sam (wtrmkr52@aol.com), August 28, 2000.
a bush named george?someone
-- someone (someone@noone.bbb), August 28, 2000.
My neck of the woods, too.Figures.
-- Oxy (Oxsys@aol.com), August 28, 2000.
Sam:Eats nematodes, you say. If it doesn't require too many genes, it will be cloned an put into potatoes. Worms are a problem in potatoes. My guess is that it is coded for by many genes and only you grandchildren will need to worry about this.
Best wishes,,,
-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), August 28, 2000.
Bill Murray has been breeding this hybrid for 20 years ever since he lost to the moles on Caddyshack.
-- Lars (lars@indy.net), August 29, 2000.
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