Potmaw

If a pitcher plant and a broadleaf plantain had a twisted, jumped-up offspring, this is what you'd get.

— Someone, some time ago

The Potmaw is named for its hidden trap design that resembles a pot with pointed teeth made of thorns.
This plant begins its life undergroud by developing a singular, hollow stem. That stem then breaks the surface and produces wide, pointed leafs around its perimeter. This allows the Potmaw to collect nutrients whilst the stem expands in width from its mid-point forming a subteranian bud-like shape.

Potmaw diagram by Fall (me)

When ready, the plant opens the top most section of its bud-like tube to form a "U" shaped pit in the ground. From the surface, this hole is covered by several broad, flat leaves that surround the edges of the plant covering the on average 50cm deep and 30cm wide, hole in the ground.
The Potmaw is not to be confused with the invasie herb - Broadleaf plantain (Plantago major).
The similar apperace of these two plants is what leads to many an unsuspecting fellow or creature to trample on the plant non-the-wiser and fall into its cavernous maw. The key difference in apperance between a Potmaw and a broadleaf plantain, is the lack of flowering stems protruding from the leafs skyward.

The inner rim at the top of the plant's tube is lined with a number of large tooth-like thorns and almost fur-like bristles that help encourage things to slip inwards whilst simultaneously encouraging the production of acid. The thorns point downwards and almost meet in the centre of the hole - this design of thorns prevents most creatures from being able to remove any unfortunate limbs that enter, or, for any smaller creature from being able to jump out of the pit.
The thorns make it especially difficult to remove a trapped limb as they tend to dig in deeper as the limb is pulled out - due to their curved nature. As such, the method for removing this plant from one of its victims requires that the Potmaw be dug out from the ground. Once removed from the ground, the hard fleshy skin of the sub-terranian pot-like stem needs to be cut open, being careful not to spill the Potmaw's acid onto any exposed skin. Once the pot-like stem has been split-open, the stuck limb can be carefully removed by widening the split to allow the limb to pass by the thorns.
Within the plant's pot-like stem, about 1/3rd of it is consistently filled with an acidic substance that weeps from the pot's inner surface when it senses something has been caught. This process is seen as the Potmaw sweating the deadly liquid out of tiny pores that line the walls of the inner stem.

Uses

Trap

Given the very nature of this plant, it can be used as a natural trap or defensive nature by anyone willing to wait for the plant to grow. Allowing for the capture of trespasers or removal of small pests or rodents.

Acid

The acid produced within the Potmaw's pot is not unlike that of a Human's stomach acid - it can cause a nasty burn quite quicly. As such, it is often cultivated for the acid to be later harvested and utilized.

Food

The larger leaves have a deep and rich, slightly bitter flavor with a fibrous texture. It's an acquired taste. However, the young, small leaves are more palatable and tender with a taste similar to asparagus.

Habitat

Potmaw's can be found throughout most temperate areas. They do however increase in number near Corruption Events as these events can strongly effect nature within the surrounding area.
Potmaw's tend to be found in more dark and dank areas around the bases of bushes and trees to help them blend in more subtly. Though, they can grow almost anywhere within a temperate climate, areas with a helathy amount of small fauna is favoured, most notably so, along the edge of farmland and prairies.

Pictured: Broadleaf Plantain

Scientific name

Plantago imitatio

Average dimensions

Depth of pit: 50cm,
Width of pit: 30cm,
Length of leaf: 22cm,
Width of leaf: 13cm,

Largest recorded dimensions

Depth of pit: 195cm,
Width of pit: 122cm,
Length of leaf: 92cm,
Width of leaf: 55cm,

Features

Flat, wide leaves similar to that of a broadleaf plantain. No flowers as the seeds are dispensed out of the rim of the pit.

Colouration

Leaves: Light to mid green with subtle tones of yellow throughout,
Thorns: Deep purple-brown at the base with a deep crimson spike,
Inner wall of pot: Green with deep purple-red veins,

Acid

Avg. PH: 1.5,
Colour: Pale green-yellow,
Scent: Burnt rotten eggs,

Found a Potmaw out in them woods behind 'r farm yes'erday, smelt like it'd caught some kinda rodent... Poor bastard.

— A Farmer to his wife