Pinguicula rosmarieae

WHAT IS IT? As carnivores go, butterworts are at the daintier end of the spectrum. No big teeth or sharp claws, but delicate pink flowers nodding on slender stalks and plump rosettes of sticky leaves that trap and digest insects – a vital source of sustenance in the plants’ nutrient-poor habitats.

WHERE IS IT? This new member of the genus was found growing directly on the bare rock of a vertical sandstone cliff in the spray of a waterfall in the Peruvian Andes. The first specimens were collected above the celebrated tombs built by the mysterious Chachapoyas culture at Mummy Lake. SB

FIND OUT MORE

PhytoKeys: bit.ly/2Rg068f

Don’t be deceived by the small, pretty flower – this carnivorous plant traps insects.