[Botany] Monster - Crying Pitcher (Patreon)

One of my other favorite carnivorous plants is the pitcher plant - the one where the inside of the pitcher is so slippery insects get trapped in there until they are digested. I thought about what interesting adaptations a pitcher plant might use to attract prey in a fantasy world and I wound up pushing the limits of "evolution" a lil. :)

---

The crying pitcher is a large burrowing carnivorous plant with a sophisticated hunting strategy developed through centuries of evolution alongside civilization. In its motionless state, it assumes the appearance of a pit wreathed in leaves and other plant matter. The pitcher’s body is coated in a special slippery secretion, which causes unsuspecting victims who step on it to fall and slide into the hungry maw. Acidic fluid in the pitcher slowly digests fallen prey as large as a wild boar. The crying pitcher’s unique lifestyle makes them highly-sought prizes for exotic botanist collectors.

Widow’s Cry. To aid in the pitcher’s hunt, secondary leaves form unique shapes that vibrate in the wind, creating sounds that simulate short bursts of language. These usually sound like repeated cries for help, luring generous explorers to the deadly trap. Different species of crying pitchers emit different words influenced by their location and proximity to inhabitants of their area.