Drosera, which is commonly known as the sundews, is one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginous glands covering their leaf surfaces. The insects are used to supplement the poor mineral nutrition of the soil in which the plants grow. Various species, which vary greatly in size and form, are native to every continent except Antarctica.
Byblis is a small genus of carnivorous plants, sometimes termed the rainbow plants for the attractive appearance of their mucilage-covered leaves in bright sunshine. Native to Australia and New Guinea, it is the only genus in the family Byblidaceae. The first species in the genus was described by the English botanist Richard Anthony Salisbury in 1808. Eight species are now recognised.
Drosera regia, commonly known as the king sundew, is a carnivorous plant in the sundew genus Drosera that is endemic to a single valley in South Africa. The genus name Drosera comes from the Greek word droseros, meaning "dew-covered". The specific epithet regia is derived from the Latin for "royal", a reference to the "striking appearance" of the species. Individual leaves can reach 70 cm (28 in) in length. It has many unusual relict characteristics not found in most other Drosera species, including woody rhizomes, operculate pollen, and the lack of circinate vernation in scape growth. All of these factors, combined with molecular data from phylogenetic analysis, contribute to the evidence that D. regia possesses some of the most ancient characteristics within the genus. Some of these are shared with the related Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), which suggests a close evolutionary relationship.
Drosera adelae, commonly known as the lance-leaved sundew, is a carnivorous plant in the genus Drosera that is endemic to Queensland, Australia.
Drosera hartmeyerorum is a summer-growing annual sundew that is native to the north of Western Australia. It was discovered in 1995 by Siegfried and Irmgard Hartmeyer. Drosera hartmeyerorum has long scrambling leaves which readily curl around any unfortunate insect that lands on the leaves. One major thing that separates this sundew from others are the round yellow trichomes at the base of the leaves. The function of the yellow trichomes is uncertain. Like most sundews, it grows in warm wet, sandy, peaty areas with high humidity and low nutrient levels in the soil.
Drosera bicolor is an erect perennial tuberous species in the genus Drosera that is endemic to Western Australia. It produces a basal rosette of leaves similar to that of D. peltata and the stem grows to 11 cm (4 in) high. Its white flowers that have a red spot near the petal base emerge from September to October. D. bicolor grows in deep silica sand on heathland along the upper Phillips River and south-east of Lake King.
Drosera gigantea, the giant sundew, is an erect perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera that is endemic to Western Australia. It grows in sandy soils at the margins of swamps and near granite outcrops along the Western Australian coast from Albany north to just south of Geraldton. D. gigantea produces small shield-shaped leaves along many lateral branches that look like a small tree. Individual plants can grow up to 0.2–1 m (0.7–3.3 ft) tall. Because of its tall, tree-like form, it is considered one of the largest Drosera species. It is also easily cultivated and enjoys damp, humid conditions often provided in greenhouses. White flowers emerge from August to November. The red tubers of this species can grow to be 3.8 cm (1.5 in) in diameter and may be a metre below ground.
Drosera macrantha, the bridal rainbow, is a scrambling or climbing perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera that is endemic to Western Australia. It grows in a variety of habitats, including winter-wet depressions in sandy, loamy, laterite, or quartzite soils. D. macrantha produces small, cup-shaped carnivorous leaves along a long stem that can be 0.16–1.5 m (0.5–4.9 ft) high as it climbs. Its 1 in (2.5 cm) white or pink flowers emerge from June to November, blooming earlier in the more northern range.
Drosera marchantii is an erect perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. It is endemic to Western Australia and grows in a variety of habitats, including swampy areas and hilltops in laterite-silica sand soils. D. marchantii produces small, circular, peltate carnivorous leaves along stiff stems that can be 10–40 cm (4–16 in) high. Its pink flowers emerge from June to October.
Drosera menziesii, the pink rainbow, is an erect or scrambling perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. It is endemic to Western Australia and grows in a variety of habitats, including winter-wet depressions, swamps, and granite outcrops in clay or peat sand soils or loam. D. menziesii produces small, circular carnivorous leaves along an undulating erect stem that can be .05–1.1 m (0.2–3.6 ft) high. Its pink flowers emerge from July to November.
Drosera moorei is a scrambling or climbing perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. It is endemic to Western Australia and grows near granite outcrops in sandy loam. D. moorei produces small, circular, peltate carnivorous leaves along glabrous stems that can be 12–35 cm (5–14 in) long. Inflorescences have two to ten yellow flowers and bloom from September to October.
Drosera salina is an erect perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. It is endemic to Western Australia and is only found in salt-free sand on the margins of salt lakes in a few locations north of Albany east to north-west of Esperance. The specific epithet, salina, refers to the salt lake margins that this species inhabits. D. salina produces small carnivorous leaves along stems that can be 7 cm (3 in) high. White flowers bloom from July to September.
Drosera stricticaulis, the erect sundew, is an erect perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. It is endemic to Western Australia and is found near watercourses and granite outcrops in sandy clay or loam. D. stricticaulis produces small, cup-shaped carnivorous leaves along green, glandular stems that can be 25 cm (10 in) high. Pink flowers bloom from July to October.
Drosera sulphurea, the sulphur-flowered sundew, is a scrambling perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. It is endemic to Western Australia and is found in coastal areas in sandy loam, often among Cephalotus. D. sulphurea produces small, shield-shaped carnivorous leaves along stems that can be 40–60 cm (16–24 in) high. Yellow flowers bloom in September.
Drosera zigzagia is an erect perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. It is endemic to Western Australia and is found on the margins of salt lakes in brown sandy loam, often associated with D. salina, Stylidium insensitivum, S. pulviniforme, Levenhookia leptantha, and Frankenia species. Drosera zigzagia produces small, solitary carnivorous leaves that alternate along a zigzag stem, which can be 5–7 cm (2.0–2.8 in) high. Yellow flowers are borne on 4–9-flowered inflorescences that bloom from August to September.
Drosera darwinensis is a perennial carnivorous plant in the genus Drosera that is endemic to the Northern Territory. Its leaves are arranged in a rosette with one rosette emerging from the root stock. It produces pink or white flowers from December to April. Drosera darwinensis grows in clayey sand from Palmerston to Berry Springs south of Darwin and east to Humpty Doo. It was first described by Allen Lowrie in 1996; the type specimen was collected 0.9 km (0.6 mi) south of Temple Avenue in Palmerston on 8 April 1990. The specific epithet darwinensis refers to region where this plant is found in abundance. It is closely related to D. brevicornis, but differs from that species by its shorter inflorescence.
Drosera derbyensis is a perennial carnivorous plant in the genus Drosera and is endemic to Western Australia. Its erect or semi-erect leaves are arranged in a rosette with one or more rosettes emerging from the root stock. The petioles are narrowly oblanceolate, 0.8–1.0 mm wide at the proximate end and 1.3–1.7 mm wide at the apex(wiki), narrowing to 0.5–0.7 mm at the laminar base. The petioles are frequently 35–45 mm long when the plant is in flower and are covered in white woolly non-dendritic hairs. The insect-trapping leaf lamina is orbicular and much shorter than the petioles at only 2–3 mm in diameter. The laminar adaxial surface is covered in insect-trapping glands. Each rosette produces 1–4 raceme inflorescences, which are 25–35 cm (10–14 in) long. Each inflorescence bears 30–50 white flowers, with flowering occurring from March to June. The upper portion of the scape and the abaxial surface of the sepals are covered with white woolly non-dendritic hairs. Its roots are fibrous. Drosera derbyensis grows in sandy soils in floodways or near rock outcrops from Derby to Beverley Springs in the Kimberley region.
Drosera dilatato-petiolaris is a carnivorous plant in the genus Drosera and is endemic to Australia, being found in both Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Its leaves are arranged in a rosette and commonly produces plantlets, eventually forming large clumps that can be over 1 ft (0.3 m) across. Green petioles emerging from the center of the rosette are typically 3–5 mm wide, but can vary. Red carnivorous leaves at the end of the petioles are small and round, with most resting on the soil surface. Inflorescences are 18 cm (7 in) long with white flowers being produced from April to May. It has a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 12.
Drosera falconeri is a carnivorous plant in the family of Droseraceae. It is endemic to the Northern Territory of Australia.
Drosera kenneallyi is a carnivorous plant in the genus Drosera and is endemic to the Kimberley region in northern Western Australia. Its leaves are arranged in a compact basal rosette appressed to the soil. Narrowly oblanceolate petioles emerging from the center of the rosette are typically 1.5–2.2 mm wide at their widest. Red carnivorous leaves at the end of the petioles are small at 2–3 mm in diameter and elliptic to broadly ovate. Inflorescences are 12.5–20.5 cm (5–8 in) long with white flowers being produced on 10- to 20-flowered racemes from November to December.
