Darlingtonia

The Darlingtonia californica, or cobra plant, is the sole species in the genus Darlingtonia and belongs to the New World pitcher plant family, Sarraceniaceae. This carnivorous plant is native to swamps in northern California and southern Oregon. It has evolved specialized, hooded leaves that resemble a striking cobra, complete with purple-red appendages mimicking a forked tongue or fangs. These pitcher-like leaves serve as pitfall traps to supplement the plant's nutrition in nutrient-poor soils. Insects are lured by nectar and confused by translucent patches on the hood, preventing escape with slippery walls and downward-pointing hairs. Unlike many carnivorous plants, the cobra plant relies on bacteria to digest its prey.1