The meat eating Muerte Vine figured in two Dick Tracy stories..
Mr. Crime
The three Muerte Vines were brought from the Amazon by the Vine Lady and her unnamed husband at the behast of Mr. Crime. Alpha thought that the carnivorous plant was a perfect way to dispose of evidence of crimes.
The first known victim of the Muerte Vine was Judge Lava, a jurist and a city philanthropist. Mr Crime had Lava killed so he could take over the Lava's Boys Club and use it as a secret hideout for his crime syndicate, and so that Mr Crime's accomplice Judge Rulings could take over Lava's position.
After a failed assassination attempt on Dick Tracy's life, Mr. Crime decided to drive to the hideaway where the Muerte Vine were stored and ordered the Vine Lady to destroy the skeleton of Judge Lava (which was still trapped in a Muerte Vine). Tracy found the remains of Judge Lava and the Vine Lady was arrested as a accessory to Lava's murder. Rulings later committed suicide and Mr. Crime was killed in gunfight with police.
The New Mr. Crime
The Vine Lady was eventually freed from prison and joined the organization of the second Mr. Crime. She provided him with Muerte Vines in much the same way as she had the original Mr. Crime. When the new Mr. Crime's headquarters was being raided, the corrupt Lt. Teevo of the Police Department arrived and fell victim to a Muerte Vine. The only evidence left of him was his necktie.
Trivia
- In the orginal story of Mr Crime, the Vine Ladys husband "disappears" after threatening Mr Crime, but he was apparently not eaten by the plants. After the vines were taken into possession by the police, they were placed in the botanical garden of the local zoo.
- In one episode of TV comedy Get Smart, the bumbling spy Maxwell Smart is almost devoured by a man-eating plant.