October 1, 2016 (Vol. 36, No. 17)
Rating:
Strong Points: Great collection of images
Weak Points: Not much information about each species
Platform:
iPad/iPhone/Android
Cost:
Free
Summary:
This whimsically named app offers information on the not-so-whimsical (at least, not if you’re a small insect) Nepenthes genus of plants, more commonly known as pitcher plants. These carnivorous plants are both fascinating and incredibly diverse, as is evident by the information contained within the app. The app is designed as a field guide reference, so it is largely photograph-based. Each species is accompanied by two photographs and basic information such as the pronunciation of its name (though as text only, no audio pronunciation) and its geographical distribution, range, and altitude. App users can explore the content by species or by geographical region. The app also incudes a quiz function in which app users must identify particular species based on photographs. (The questions are presented as multiple-choice.)
