The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a species of carnivorous plant in the family Droseraceae, closely related to the waterwheel and sundews. It is indigenous to subtropical wetlands of the Carolinas, restricted to a fairly small geographic range within the Atlantic coast of North America. The carnivorous diet of this plant includes insects, arachnids, and other small invertebrates, which it traps by employing a pair of modified leaves with pressure-sensitive hairs. These trigger an electrochemical signal which causes the leaves to pull into a closed position. Prey is then broken down by digestive fluids and absorbed by the plant. While it is among the most famous carnivorous plants, it is rare in the wild, and the only species of its genus; aside from the waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa), no other known carnivorous plant uses its characteristic snap-trap mechanism. In terms of extinction risk, it is considered Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature; threats to its survival include habitat destruction and collection for the flora trade.
