Carnivorous Sundews

Rather than make its food through photosynthesis, carnivorous sundews, like the ones seen here, supplement their diet by feeding on insects! The tiny tentacles have a sticky dew or “mucilage” on them to help trap and digest their prey for a hearty meal. Known by the Haida First Nation as “many hearts,” the sundew is […]

Tooth-Leaved Monkeyflower

  A rare and beautiful flower, the yellow tooth-leaved monkeyflower (Erythranthe dentata), in Canada, is restricted to a handful of valleys on southwestern Vancouver Island. This diminutive rainforest resident prefers the rich floodplain forests that grow along the valley bottoms, which are home to the largest and most magnificent old-growth trees. These forests are now […]

Redwood Sorrel

  Looking like an oversized clover, the redwood sorrel (oxalis oregana) is one of BC’s loveliest and rarest rainforest plants, found only in a few scattered sites on Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii. Because they have adapted to live on the shady forest floor, these plants are actually light-sensitive and will fold their leaves to […]

Moss

Like a botanical Clark Kent, these unassuming plants are hiding superhero qualities. Not only does moss have the ability to absorb liquids up to 20 times their weight, but they also act as insulation for soil and tree roots – either keeping it cool or warming it up. They help to colonize areas affected by […]