Plants are autotrophic. Can you think of some plants that are partially heterotrophic?
Yes, some plants are partially heterotrophic. While Kingdom Plantae includes all eukaryotic chlorophyll-containing organisms commonly called plants that are autotrophic, a few members exhibit partial heterotrophic nutrition.
These include insectivorous plants like Bladderwort and Venus fly trap which trap and consume insects. Additionally, parasitic plants like Cuscuta represent another category of partially heterotrophic plants.
Thus, although plants are primarily autotrophic, exceptions exist in the form of insectivorous plants and parasites within Kingdom Plantae.
Explanation
The textbook in Section 2.4 Kingdom Plantae explicitly states that 'A few members are partially heterotrophic such as the insectivorous plants or parasites.' It provides specific examples: Bladderwort and Venus fly trap as insectivorous plants, and Cuscuta as a parasite. This question tests whether students can identify exceptions to the general rule that plants are autotrophic.