A carnivorous plant is a plant capable of attracting and capturing prey (mainly insects, mites and other small invertebrates) and then assimilating them, entirely or in part, in order to meet (partially) its own needs. There are just over 700 species of carnivorous plants in the strict sense known at the beginning of the 21st century, but on average 3 species of carnivorous plants are discovered or described each year since the year 2000.