Vesiculosa
The vesiculosa (Heliamphora vesiculosa) is a carnivorous pitcher plant of enormous size that primarily preys on humanoids and other mammals.
Basic Information
Anatomy
A vesiculosa grows from a central whorl that looks similar to many succulents. However, one or more of its lower leaves grow into an enormous dish-shaped plant body that can reach up to fifty feet in diameter, considered the main body of the plant. The vesiculosa collects water in this dish and slowly turns it into a sweet nectar that attracts prey. It also has several sets of vine-like exploratory tendrils that can ensnare creatures and drag them towards the body of the plant.
Ecology and Habitats
The vesiculosa was initially native to the hot jungles in the extreme southwestern reaches of Belcantas. Its territory is believed to have spread north during unusual weather events in the Age of Anxiety. It is now found as far north as the Verlorenwode. It grows year-round in the warmer jungles, but dies back yearly in the temperate Verlorenwode. The heartvine of the vesiculosa is an adaptation to these temperatures; if the plant is dead but otherwise largely intact, its central heartvine can resurrect it when conditions are more favorable, allowing the plant to retain its massive size without having to grow from a seed.
Vesiculosae prefer to take root in or near shallow bodies of water such as ponds and creeks. The body of the plant spreads along the bottom of the body of water, creating a still pond within the water feature that surrounds it. Instead of water, though, the "pond" is full of a sweet-smelling nectar that attracts its prey to drink it and then causes them to fall unconscious, allowing the vesiculosa to engulf and slowly digest them. This nectar seeps into the soil around the vesiculosa and affects any nearby edible plants. Since this nectar is also deeply nourishing to the plants of the undergrowth, there is often a symbiotic relationship between a vesiculosa and the blackberry, raspberry, or strawberry plants that frequently grow around it.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The vesiculosa gets some nutrients from soil and sunlight, but because it prefers extreme shade, it gets the majority of its nutrients from attracting animal life. Rodents, marsupials, deer, and even humanoids comprise much of its diet.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Vesiculosae are very sensitive to movement in the earth around them. They can sense the approach of their prey from up to 60 feet away. Though the main body of the vesiculosa is stationary, it can send out hunting tendrils that move quickly enough to ensnare most unsuspecting prey. These tendrils draw the prey into the main body of the vesiculosa for it to ingest.
Scientific Name
Heliamphora vesiculosa
Geographic Distribution
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