Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) - Essay Example

Angiosperms Angiosperm Venus flytrap or Dionaea muscipula is an example of angiosperm or flowering plant. Its structural adaptationand evolution to leaves, roots, stems and flowers has led it to adapt and survive harsh environment where other flowering plants cannot survive. Venus flytrap evolution and structural adaptation ensured that this plan was able to grow and survive in soil that had low-nutrients. Through many centuries of evolution, Venus flytrap enhanced its sensitive hairs on leaves, flowers have good smell to attract insects, and its leaves have teeth-like funnel shaped adjustments that traps and closes around insects or small rodents so that they are unable to escape from the trap (Ross & Salisbury, 1985).

In addition, the plant has antiseptic juice and digestive fluids so as to dissolve the trapped insects to produce nitrogen to the plant. The sensitive hairs on the leaves also stop the leaf from folding or closing when rain drops on it since the leaf needs more of these hairs so as to be triggered in sequence (Ross & Salisbury, 1985). When the plant grows to maturity, it produces flowers on stalks above the leaves so that insects responsible for pollinating the flower do not stick in the leaves.

The plants ability to trap insects and other plants so to dissolve them so as to provide nitrogen to the plant allows carnivorous plants grow, live and survive in areas where regular plants cannot grow and survive due to absence of nutrients (Ross & Salisbury, 1985). Venus flytrap shared common features with normal flowering plants many years ago. ReferenceRoss, C.W., & Salisbury, F. (1985). Plant physiology. Belmont: Wadsworth.