The pitcher is a flowering plant, however, and needs a means of pollinating the flowers in order to produce seeds and insure its own survival. The large mitt-shaped purple leaf emerges from the soil once the hidden plant is mature, and it serves as a sentinel that “tests” the environment for suitability. If it survives to fully expanded size, the plant produces a flowering stalk next, which is a rare sight. The giant purplish-black flowers smell like rotting flesh and are pollinated by flies and carrion eating beetles.
The large leaves are useful as a leather substitute and human colonists on Pandora have developed a crude baseball mitt from them. However, the Na’vi are careful not to overharvest the leaves, which would prevent flowering and drive the species to local extinction.
The large leaves are useful as a leather substitute and human colonists on Pandora have developed a crude baseball mitt from them. However, the Na’vi are careful not to overharvest the leaves, which would prevent flowering and drive the species to local extinction.
