Tendrils enclosing an aphid I decided to whip up a quick article on sundews but then researched them. Oh glory! So much to learn and so little time to do it.
Why are we humans so intelligent and yet so stupid as we obsess about minor things and harm ourselves and our environment when there is so much more to our world?
The genus name Drosera comes from the Greek word “dewy” referring to modified leaves with sticky tentacles they use to catch insects. When an insect lands on them, tentacles rapidly wrap around it and exude an amazing brew of enzymes that turns them into soup – even the hard exoskeleton (chitin is a protein). Yum!
Sundews have conventional flowers with numerous styles (pollen collecting bits), and have the flowers well above the leaves (possibly to avoid insect pollinators being eaten). Vegetation colour varies with much redder forms on waterlogged and infertile soils, and parts more exposed to light
Why are we humans so intelligent and yet so stupid as we obsess about minor things and harm ourselves and our environment when there is so much more to our world?
The genus name Drosera comes from the Greek word “dewy” referring to modified leaves with sticky tentacles they use to catch insects. When an insect lands on them, tentacles rapidly wrap around it and exude an amazing brew of enzymes that turns them into soup – even the hard exoskeleton (chitin is a protein). Yum!
Sundews have conventional flowers with numerous styles (pollen collecting bits), and have the flowers well above the leaves (possibly to avoid insect pollinators being eaten). Vegetation colour varies with much redder forms on waterlogged and infertile soils, and parts more exposed to light
My categories are below
1 Sundews with tubers. This enables them to survive over summer, use early-season soil water and nutrients, and even survive without catching insects. Subcategories include:
1 Sundews with tubers. This enables them to survive over summer, use early-season soil water and nutrients, and even survive without catching insects. Subcategories include:
Drosera calycina 1a. Climbers. These are the most noticeable ones that generally use other plants as support. Cup shaped leaf ends directly absorb the insect soup.The bridal rainbow Drosera macrantha occurs throughout Foxes Lair.
Elsewhere in more open country, you mainly see the lovely sunny rainbow Drosera subhirtella. The lovely red flowered Drosera menziesii occurrs in wet hollows and waterways.
In late June I discovered a stunning golden rainbow Drosera calycina at Yilliminning nature reserve, which is a long way east of its normal range
Elsewhere in more open country, you mainly see the lovely sunny rainbow Drosera subhirtella. The lovely red flowered Drosera menziesii occurrs in wet hollows and waterways.
In late June I discovered a stunning golden rainbow Drosera calycina at Yilliminning nature reserve, which is a long way east of its normal range
 Bridal rainbow Drosera macrantha |  Sunny rainbow Drosera subhirtella |  Pink rainbow Drosera menziesii |
A fan-leaved sundew 1b. Fan-leaved sundews resemble free standing climbers but are more compact and have a basal rows of leaves. These don’t occur in Foxes lair but local species are Drosera porrecta and Drosera ramulosa.
1c. Rosette-forming sundews have flat leaves coated with tendrils. Red Ink Sundew (due to red sap in the bulb) Drosera collina sends up a flowering head after rain in April -May, which dies off as the attractive leaves emerge. The leaves don’t absorb the insect soup that runs off to be absorbed by roots.
These sundews are quite long lived and reproduce via bulb clones (which is whyy they often occur in groups). They rarely produce viable seed.
The spectacular painted sundew Drosera zonaria is found on very sandy soils and only flowers after fire. None of these occur at Foxes Lair but lovely clumps occur at Yilliminning Rock and Toolibin cemetery.
This blog shows their specialised roots and bulbs
1c. Rosette-forming sundews have flat leaves coated with tendrils. Red Ink Sundew (due to red sap in the bulb) Drosera collina sends up a flowering head after rain in April -May, which dies off as the attractive leaves emerge. The leaves don’t absorb the insect soup that runs off to be absorbed by roots.
These sundews are quite long lived and reproduce via bulb clones (which is whyy they often occur in groups). They rarely produce viable seed.
The spectacular painted sundew Drosera zonaria is found on very sandy soils and only flowers after fire. None of these occur at Foxes Lair but lovely clumps occur at Yilliminning Rock and Toolibin cemetery.
This blog shows their specialised roots and bulbs
 Red Ink Sundew flowers before leaf emergence |  Drosera collina Red Ink Sundew leaf |  Drosera zonaria |  Drosera bulbosa Red Leaved Sundew |
2 Pygmy sundews are seldom noticed in Foxes Lair but are very common if you know where to look. .
Water gaining patches in the clay soil north of the Claypit are red with a carpet of Cone Sundews (Drosera androsaceae). These have lost the ability to use nitrogen taken up by their roots and rely entirely on insect soup for this nutrient.
Shaggy Sundew Drosera Scorpioides prefers loamy gravelly soil near the jarrah trees.
The beautiful orange-flowered Pimpernel Sundew Drosera glandigulera is an annual plant, which pefers more fertile soil from fresh rock.
Water gaining patches in the clay soil north of the Claypit are red with a carpet of Cone Sundews (Drosera androsaceae). These have lost the ability to use nitrogen taken up by their roots and rely entirely on insect soup for this nutrient.
Shaggy Sundew Drosera Scorpioides prefers loamy gravelly soil near the jarrah trees.
The beautiful orange-flowered Pimpernel Sundew Drosera glandigulera is an annual plant, which pefers more fertile soil from fresh rock.
 cone sundew Drosera androsaceae |  Drosera scorpioides |  Pimpernel sundew Drosera glanduligera |
There is a worldwide interest in growing these hungry little beauties with whole websites devoted to their care.
Please read this great sundew blog by the Wandering Scientist
Please read this great sundew blog by the Wandering Scientist