Watercolour on vellum of Dionaea muscipula (Venus' fly trap) by James Bolton, Album page 18, c.1790. Inscription on verso of previous folio facing the painting: 'Native of the remoter parts of Carolina. Brought into England by Mr Young in 1768. The brown lobes at the extremities of of the radial leaves are covered with a tough glutin and are possessed of a certain irritability like the mimosa. When a fly alights upon them its feet get entangled in the glutin and by its struggling to get loose so irritates the lobe, that the two sides folds together and the insect is squeezed to death as at a [refers to the paintings where a trapped insect is marked at A], TC of album folio: 'Venus Fly Trap', LC of painting: 'Dionaea muscipula', LR of painting: J.Bolton'. Current botanical name: Dionaea muscipula; English vernacular name: Venus' fly trap
Extent
1 item
Physical description
watercolour painting (technique). 28 cm x 22.5 cm. watercolour (paint). vellum