- Saxifraga candelabrum was confirmed as a new carnivorous lineage in research published in Nature Communications, supporting Charles Darwin's prediction from more than 150 years ago.
- In alpine areas of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau–Hengduan Mountains, field surveys found insect prey on the glandular hairs of 43 out of 45 S. candelabrum specimens, with mature plants averaging 71 trapped insects.
- Fluorescence tagging detected phosphatase activity, a digestive enzyme commonly found in carnivorous plants, suggesting S. candelabrum can potentially digest prey.
- Feeding the plant Drosophila labeled with a stable form of nitrogen produced a notable rise in labeled nitrogen levels in S. candelabrum and a carnivorous control, but not in noncarnivorous controls, supporting nutrient absorption.
- Genetic analysis revealed genomic similarities with other independently evolved carnivorous plants, including genes linked to prey attraction, digestion and nutrient absorption.
- The study was published as Xin-Jian Zhang et al, Identification of carnivory in the flowering plant Saxifraga via multidisciplinary evidence, Nature Communications (2026).
A study published in Nature Communications has confirmed Saxifraga candelabrum as a new carnivorous lineage, validating Charles Darwin's 150-year-old hypothesis.1
The research indicates that this alpine flower can attract, trap, digest, and absorb nutrients from insects, showcasing its carnivorous adaptations.
Field studies conducted by Hang Sun and colleagues revealed that insect prey were present on the glandular hairs of 43 out of 45 surveyed specimens, with mature plants averaging 71 trapped insects in total.2
To further investigate its carnivorous nature, researchers employed fluorescence tagging to identify phosphatase activity, a digestive enzyme commonly found in carnivorous plants, suggesting that S. candelabrum can digest prey.3
Additionally, Drosophila labeled with a stable form of nitrogen were fed to the plant, resulting in a notable rise in labeled nitrogen levels among S. candelabrum compared to non-carnivorous controls, supporting its nutrient absorption capabilities.4
Genetic analysis also revealed similarities with other independently evolved carnivorous plants, including genes linked to prey attraction, digestion, and nutrient absorption, further affirming its classification as a carnivorous species.
This discovery not only highlights the unique adaptations of S. candelabrum but also reinforces Darwin's early predictions regarding the carnivorous potential of certain Saxifraga species.
Xin-Jian Zhang et al, Identification of carnivory in the flowering plant Saxifraga via multidisciplinary evidence, Nature Communications (2026).
Fluorescence tagging was used to identify phosphatase activity (a digestive enzyme commonly found in carnivorous plants), suggesting that the plant can potentially digest prey.
“Field surveys on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau–Hengduan Mountains found insect prey on glandular hairs of 43 out of 45 specimens, with mature plants averaging 71 trapped insects. Fluorescence tagging detected digestive enzyme activity, and feeding labeled Drosophila showed nitrogen absorption from prey.”
