Researchers have confirmed that Saxifraga candelabrum belongs to a newly recognized carnivorous plant lineage, according to a study published in Nature Communications. The finding is notable because the species is a flowering alpine plant rather than one of the better-known carnivorous plant groups.
The study reports that Saxifraga candelabrum can attract insects, trap them on its sticky surfaces, break down their bodies and absorb nitrogen from them. Those steps are key features of plant carnivory, showing that the species does more than simply catch insects by accident.
The discovery also gives modern support to an idea linked to Charles Darwin. More than 150 years ago, Darwin suggested that some sticky plants might be carnivorous, and the new research indicates that this alpine flower fits that prediction.
By identifying Saxifraga candelabrum as carnivorous, the study expands scientific understanding of how often this strategy has evolved in plants. It also highlights that insect-based nutrition can appear in unexpected plant lineages, including flowering species growing in alpine environments.
