Roridula Gorgonias

Roridula gorgonias is a woody shrubby plant from the Western Cape of South Africa, classified as a protocarnivore or paracarnivore—it captures insects on its sticky glandular leaves but lacks the ability to secrete digestive enzymes. Instead, it relies on a specialized mutualistic relationship with the hemipteran bug Pameridea roridulae, which feeds on the trapped insects and deposits nitrogenous feces that the plant absorbs through its leaves. This indirect nutrient acquisition via an intermediary organism represents an unusual and well-studied stepping stone in the evolution of carnivory. The plant is a woody shrub reaching about 1 m in height, producing attractive flowers, and adapted to the fire-prone fynbos vegetation of the southwestern Cape. Cultivation requires well-drained, mineral media, a Mediterranean-style wet-dry regime, and full sun.

Insects (indirect)