心胸寬廣的食肉植物:豬籠草
The pitcher plant is probably the most mysterious plant in the whole wide universe. With its unique ability to obtain food, it has inspired many people to reshape their concept on how nature works. As we might have already known, pitcher plants eat small insects. They use a sweet-smelling juice to lure an unsuspecting insect into the mouth. When the insect is unable to climb back, it can only flails helplessly in the fluid until it loses energy and submits to the overpowering force of its fate. Larger pitchers could even trap small frog, snakes and birds inside.
豬籠草恐怕是整個浩瀚宇宙中最神祕的植物了。它獲取食物的獨特方式激發很多人改變了自己對大自然生態機制的看法。正如我們所知的那樣，豬籠草會吃一些小昆蟲。它們分泌出一種香甜的汁液，把毫無警惕心的昆蟲誘騙到嘴裏。當昆蟲無法再爬出來的時候，它只能無助地在粘液中亂動掙扎，直到沒有力氣，最終屈從於命運無法抗拒的安排。大的豬籠草甚至還能將小青蛙、小蛇以及小鳥困在裏面。Sound scary? Pitcher plants are actually very alluring and beautiful plants. A Canadian country even makes it the official flower. Yes, it's true! In fact, the New Foundland and Labrador province in Canada has the Purple pitcher plant as its one and only floral emblem.
聽起來很恐怖吧？但豬籠草其實是一種很有誘惑性又漂亮的植物。加拿大某地區甚至把豬籠草視爲當地的官方花朵。沒錯兒，這是真的！事實上，加拿大的紐芬蘭–拉布拉多省就把紫色的豬籠草作爲本省唯一的省花。Meat-eating is just an everyday happening for these pretty pitcher plants. Even though they are deadly traps for mosquitoes, they can be very generous and have amazing relationships with other animals. On a report, the scientists in Brunei have finally discovered why one pitcher beauty, the Nepenthes rajah is one of the biggest in the world! Though its mouth could very well swallow a whole tree shrew , the researchers were confused that throughout the years of their study, they were not able to find even a single dead individual inside.
對於這些漂亮的豬籠草來說，肉是每天必不可少的一餐。儘管這對於蚊子來說是死路一條，但同時豬籠草也可以相當大度，與其他動物有着驚人的微妙關係。文萊的科學家們在一份報告中指出，他們最終發現爲什麼馬來王豬籠草（一種美麗的豬籠草）是世界上最大的豬籠草之一！雖然它的嘴大得足以吞下一整隻樹鼩，但是在這麼多年的研究中，研究人員卻從未在馬來王豬籠草中找到一具樹鼩屍體，這令他們十分困惑。
Suddenly, the answer finally showed itself one day. Upon examining the inside contents of the Nepenthes rajah, they discovered a freshly delivered fecal matter and soon found out that its owner is the resident tree shrew who lived nearby. Further tests have led them to conclude that indeed these little primate relatives make toilet bowls out of the pitcher plant!
突然有一天，答案不言自明。經過對馬來王豬籠草內部物質的檢查，他們發現了剛剛排泄的糞便，接着很快便查出它的主人就是住在旁邊的樹鼩。更多的測試引導研究人員得出了這樣一個結論：這些靈長類動物的小近親們確實把豬籠草當作馬桶來使用了！If you think that their relationship is strange enough, hear this: it seems that the tree shrew was not the only that shares this close friendship with the pitchers! Still, on the forests of Brunei, the biologists have ascertained that bats also use the plant's "facilities" as its rest room. And, not only that—do you know that these winged mammals can also afford to make it as its dormitory? Yes, the pitcher plant, the ever-generous landlady, has even made a girdle on its side to serve as the bat's bed!
如果你覺得他們之間的關係太奇怪的話，那麼聽聽這個吧：看來不僅僅是樹鼩能與豬籠草享有如此親密的友好關係！同樣，在文萊的森林中，生物學家已查明：蝙蝠也把這種植物的“衛生設備”當作廁所使用。不僅如此——你知不知道這些會飛的哺乳動物還可以把它變成自己的臥室？是的，這種植物正是豬籠草，它是胸懷最寬廣的房東，甚至它的側面還有個圍擋給蝙蝠當牀用呢！Unlike us humans, the pitcher plants think that this is a very lucky thing! Actually, every waste matter that is excreted by all animals is rich in nitrogen. And we learn in school that nitrogen is very helpful for all plants in their growth and development.
與我們人類不同，豬籠草把這當作是一件很幸運的事！事實上，任何動物的排泄物都含有豐富的氮。我們在學校也學過氮對於所有植物的生長和發育都十分重要。Then, what could excite you more than seeing these wonderful pitchers standing in front of you? With the convenience of modern technology, we would only not see them in pictures—but you could actually bring home one if you want to! See the nature unravel its wonders within the confines of your own home. Inspire great curiosity and knowledge on children as they open their eyes to the fact that mother Earth indeed holds wonderful secrets that they have yet to unlock!
那麼，還有什麼事能比親眼看到這些神奇的豬籠草出現在你面前更令人激動呢？由於現代科技帶來的便利，我們不僅能在照片中看到豬籠草，如果你想的話，其實也可以帶一個回家養！這樣在自家裏便能看到大自然是如何揭開奇蹟般的神祕面紗的。當孩子們看到地球母親確實有許多令人驚奇且尚未揭開的謎題時，這就能激發他們的好奇心並幫助他們增長知識。
