In 1875, Charles Darwin suggested some plants could capture insects using sticky hairs, but he couldn't prove it. 150 years later, researchers confirmed a Chinese species attracts and traps flies with the same mechanism

Charles Darwin had a suspicion about certain plants that he could never fully prove. In 1875, the naturalist suggested that two species in the genus Saxifraga might be carnivorous, using their sticky hairs to trap insects. Now, more than 150 years later, researchers have found evidence that supports his idea. A study of Saxifraga candelabrum , a plant growing high in China's Hengduan Mountains, found that it can attract and capture insects.

The findings, published in Nature Communications on August 4, provide evidence that the Chinese species is a true carnivorous plant.