CarnivorasLA.org - Carnivorous Plants of Latinamerica

This site is about the species of carnivorous plants living in Central and South America. You will find here information about their habitat, distribution and cultural requirements.

Latinamerica, being mainly a tropical and sub-tropical zone with a good variety of natural habitats going from the tropical rainforest to the open grasslands at low elevations and from the lowland jungles to the highland cloud forests and paramos, has a big diversity of species and that diversity includes carnivorous plants wich can grow as aquatics, terrestrials and epiphytics. There is even one species which grows as aquatic but only in the water accumulated at the base of the leaves of another plant, and this other plant is also carnivorous or at least sub-carnivorous (Utricularia humboldtii grows in the water filled leaf axils of bromeliads of the genus Brocchinia).

The families of carnivorous and sub-carnivorous plants known to be growing naturally in Latinamerica are:

- Bromeliaceae (Genuses Brocchinia and Catopsis)
- Droseraceae (Genus Drosera)
- Lentibulariaceae (Genuses Genlisea, Pinguicula and Utricularia)
- Sarraceniaceae (Genus Heliamphora)


To be considered carnivorous, a plant has to be able to attract, trap, kill, digest and absorb its prey. There are some plants which can do all of these things and they are considered true carnivorous plants, but others like the bromeliad Brocchinia reducta, can only do some of these things needing the extra help of bacteria for digestion and for this reason are considered sub-carnivorous plants.

For a comprehensive introduction to carnivorous plants and everything related with them, you can read the Carnivorous Plants FAQ, a very complete document, courtesy of the International Carnivorous Plant Society.