The purple veined leaves of the pitcher plant, Newfoundland's provincial flower, curl inward to form upright conical pitchers that hold rain water. When the insects land on the leaf they slide down into the collected fluid and drown. Digestive secretions breakdown and then absorb the nutrients of the hapless victim. These leaves have been known to reach a size of 25 centimetres (10 inches). This may no longer be the norm. It was here, in the Elliot Lake area, that a young naturalist made this intriguing discovery a few years ago.While exploring the Bush and recording information, this future `Indiana Jones of Botany', discovered a pitcher plant of huge circumference and larger than average leaves - over 35 centimetres. In an effort to preserve the plant and its environment from the excessive traffic of curiosity-seekers, the exact location can not be divulged. Left undisturbed to flourish, it is difficult to estimate the size of the plant or its progeny may achieve. If a person had a particularly fanciful imagination, they might speculate on the effects mine tailings, or perhaps more realistically, on the recent mild weather, which has moderated the harshness of our winters over the past few years . |
Carnivorous plants AND THE WALKING CONIFERS |
Elliot Lake has extensive walking trails connecting the beaches, parks, and Lookout Tower. It also has the Sheriff Creek Nature trail and further a field are the trails of the Mississaugi Provincial Park. For hardier adventurers, there are rougher wilderness experiences as well. Tourists, visitors, and residents are all welcome to use these resources to commune with nature. Obviously, the further from civilization and the more managed wilderness you are, the more likely you will face the typical dangers that any expedition into the Bush can encounter . Of course, some encounters in the Bush take a step beyond mundane reality that are less typical . |
When someone mentions giant carnivorous plants, what most likely springs to mind is The Little Shop of Horrors, the wonderfully bad Sci-Fi flicks of the1950's, and various superhero and pulp adventure tales. But not only are there carnivorous plants in Ontario, the Elliot Lake area is on record for the largest one found . If you were to explore the bogs found around Elliot Lake and other parts of Canada, you may encounter one of these remarkable plants, but be careful or you may get sucked in ! There are three bog plants that have developed fascinating digestive systems to cope with their nutrient poor environment . Sundew (Drosera rotunfifolia) , bladderwort (Utriularia) , and pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) have each adapted to their environment by attracting and devouring more mobile food sources than themselves . Fortunately, the size of these plants has restricted their diet to a variety of insects. However, the recent discovery of the largest pitcher plant on record may be either a unique specimen or else the start of an evolutionary trend . |
The sundew is of the same family as its more famous American cousin (typical American self promotion vs. quiet Canadian reservedness), the Venus flytrap . It uses the same method as the flytrap to catch its prey; insects attracted by shiney dewdrops of a sticky gel on the leaves, land and are stuck, while the tentacle-like bristles, pull inward holding the struggling creature as the leaf enfolds it. Once digested, the leaf opens to discard the remains and then awaits its next unsuspecting morsel. |
The bladderwort floats with a labyrinth of fine submerged stalks branching into the depths of the bog . Tiny round bladder like nodules cover these stalks. When an unsuspecting mosquito larvae or other small denizen of the bog approach, they trigger the bladders. Suddenly opening, the bladders will suck in the creatures with the water. Once trapped within, they are digested by the plant. |
The purple veined leaves of the pitcher plant, Newfoundland's provincial flower, curl inward to form upright conical pitchers that hold rain water. When the insects land on the leaf they slide down into the collected fluid and drown. Digestive secretions breakdown and then absorb the nutrients of the hapless victim. These leaves have been known to reach a size of 25 centimetres (10 inches). This may no longer be the norm. It was here, in the Elliot Lake area, that a young naturalist made this intriguing discovery a few years ago.While exploring the Bush and recording information, this future `Indiana Jones of Botany', discovered a pitcher plant of huge circumference and larger than average leaves - over 35 centimetres. In an effort to preserve the plant and its environment from the excessive traffic of curiosity-seekers, the exact location can not be divulged. Left undisturbed to flourish, it is difficult to estimate the size of the plant or its progeny may achieve. If a person had a particularly fanciful imagination, they might speculate on the effects mine tailings, or perhaps more realistically, on the recent mild weather, which has moderated the harshness of our winters over the past few years . |
If we now turn away from botanical speculations to more mythological concerns, we can consider the Wood Walker / Tree Shambler. While gathering and preparing information on coniverous plants, a reference was made to conivorous conifers. Further investigation discovered it was an incorrect remembrance of a very obscure myth/legend. Tales of the Wood Walker, which are sometimes confused with the Wendigo or Sasquatch, are difficult to track down. Natives will deny any knowledge of such a creature, claiming it is of European in origin. This is most likely true. All obscure references, while claiming Native antecedents, deal with non-Native "encounters" or theories/speculations. |
It is possible that the Wood Walker is connected by folk tradition to the Wandering Wood referred to by Spenser in The Faerie Queene or the "Mythago Wood" described by Robert Holdstock in his body of work. At this point, such a connection is only speculation. It would take considerable research to discover any connection because what is known about this mythical creature is limited to two sources, which themselves are nearly mythical. The Colbalt Collector (1925), had a sketchy account of Professor Jean Artemas Trylinski's encounter with a supposed Tree Shambler in 1919 /20. Having ceased publication many years ago, its archives are in the possession of The Silvershadow Research Foundation in Cobalt (Ont. Canada). It has yet to respond to any inquiries. Ironically, the foundation was created byProfessor Trylinski and bears his media-nickname. Now even his more publicized adventures have been forgotten and any efforts to bring them back into the media spotlight have been futile. The other is Archibald Behlane Greylow's obscure monograph, "Wood Walkers, Wendigoes, and Trans-Dimensional Psychosis" ( Miskatonic University Press, 1921) was the source. The only copy was lost along with all of the Miskatonic Library's resources when at the turn of the century New Millennium celebrations awry. In an attempt to provide a truely spectacular fireworks display, Miskatonic U. attempted to combine the R'lyeh logos equations with the revised calculations on hyper-magnetism from the Philadelphia Experiment. Now, it is as if Miskatonic U. and the community of Dunwich Downs (Michiegan, U.S.A.) never existed . |
Special thanks to : ( my local sources ) Oiseau-mouche 2 and Doppleganger (main print source) Up North Again by Doug Bennet and Tim Tiner ( McClelland and Stewart Inc. , 1997) E. L. O. Hoodoo Copywrite 2000 - 04 |
