butterwort plant Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/plant/butterwort Share Share Share to social media Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/plant/butterwort Also known as: Pinguicula, ping Written by Karen Sottosanti Karen Sottosanti is a writer and editor who works in educational publishing. Karen Sottosanti Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Jun 11, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Also called: ping (Show more) butterwort, (genus Pinguicula), genus of more than 120 species of small carnivorous plants in the family Lentibulariaceae. Butterworts are characterized by their sticky glandular leaves that capture and digest very small insects, such as fruit flies and gnats. Widely distributed, the plants can be found in wetlands and other moist habitats with nutrient-poor soil in subarctic and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere; they are also native to Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Like other carnivorous plants, butterworts are photosynthetic and manufacture their own food by using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water; the insect prey serve to supplement their intake ...(100 of 687 words)

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