noun
: any of several plants especially of the genera Sarracenia, Nepenthes, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia with leaves which are either wholly or partly modified into forms resembling pitchers and in which insects are trapped and digested by the plant through liquids (as acid secretions or water prob. with the aid of proteolytic enzymes) contained by the leaves: as
a. : a bog herb ( Sarracenia purpurea ) of the northeastern United States with leaves modified into the form of broadly winged pitchers
b. : california pitcher plant
c. : australian pitcher plant