Drosera peltata, commonly called the shield sundew or pale sundew, is a climbing or scrambling perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. Among the tuberous sundews, D. peltata has the largest distribution, which includes eastern and western Australia, New Zealand, India, and most of Southeast Asia including the Philippines. The specific epithet is Latin for "shield shaped", a reference to the shape of the cauline leaves. It is either a single extremely variable species, or a complex of several closely related species of uncertain taxonomic boundaries. In Australia at least four forms have had or still have specific taxonomic recognition: Drosera peltata subsp. peltata, D. peltata subsp. auriculata, D. foliosa and D. gracilis.
Drosera banksii, commonly known as Banks' sundew, is a small annual species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. The reniform-shaped leaves are attached to petioles and arranged in a circular pattern (rosette) around the stem. The 5 mm wide flowers are white. It is native to northern Australia and Southeast Asia. D. banksii was originally described by Robert Brown and validly published by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1824. It is currently classified in the subgenus Lasiocephala, but expert opinion is that it is misplaced and should be reclassified with the closely allied D. subtilis.
Drosera subg. Ergaleium, collectively known as the tuberous sundews, is a subgenus of three sections of tuberous species in the genus Drosera. The three sections represent natural groups, including the rosetted species, the fan-leaved species, and the erect or scrambling species.
Drosera erythrorhiza, the red ink sundew, is a perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera that is endemic to Western Australia. It grows in a rosette and is distinguished from the other species in section Erythrorhiza by its many-flowered cymose inflorescences with up to 50 individual flowers. D. erythrorhiza was first described by John Lindley in his 1839 publication A sketch of the vegetation of the Swan River Colony. In 1992, N. G. Marchant and Allen Lowrie described three new subspecies, thus also creating the autonym D. erythrorhiza subsp. erythrorhiza. The subspecies were separated from this variable species mostly by leaf morphology and distribution.
Drosera erythrogyne is a scrambling or climbing perennial tuberous species in the genus Drosera that is endemic to Western Australia. It grows in soils that are peat-sand to loam and occurs in an area along the southern Western Australian coast west of Albany in swamps or near granite outcrops. It produces small leaves along a long, scrambling stem that can grow to 2–3 m (7–10 ft) long. White flowers emerge from August to October.
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 heterophylla, the swamp rainbow, is an erect perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera that is endemic to Western Australia. It grows in shallow water swamps or wet clay flats near granite outcrops and occurs in the vicinity of Perth and to its north. D. heterophylla produces small leaves along an erect stem that can be 10–30 cm (4–12 in) tall. It is the only species in the genus that produces many-petaled flowers. These white flowers emerge from June to September.
Drosera huegelii, the bold sundew, is an erect perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera that is endemic to Western Australia. It grows in sandy soils in winter-wet depressions and margins of swamps and occurs along the south-west coast of Australia. D. huegelii produces small, bell-shaped leaves along an erect stem that can be 10–50 cm (4–20 in) tall. White to cream-coloured flowers emerge from June to September.
Drosera intricata is a scrambling or climbing perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera that is endemic to Western Australia. It grows in clay-sand soils on swamp margins, or other habitats that are seasonally wet. D. intricata produces small carnivorous leaves along a glabrous stem that can be 25–40 cm (10–16 in) tall. Its 3-12 yellow flowers emerge from September to October. It gains its species name, intricata, from its twining or winding habit.
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 microphylla, the golden rainbow, is an erect perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. It is endemic to Western Australia and grows on granite outcrops or in sandy or laterite soils. D. microphylla produces small, circular, peltate carnivorous leaves along erect stems that can be 10–40 cm (4–16 in) high. It blooms from June to September, displaying its large golden sepals and smaller, variably-coloured petals. In populations near Perth, the petals are red, whereas petal colour near Albany tends to be orange. Some plants east of Esperance have white petals.
Drosera modesta, the modest rainbow, is a scrambling perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. It is endemic to Western Australia and grows on granite outcrops or stream banks in laterite or sand-clay soils. D. modesta produces shield-shaped carnivorous leaves with longer than normal tentacles. The scrambling stems can be 0.3–0.8 m (1.0–2.6 ft) long. White flowers bloom from October 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 neesii, the jewel rainbow is an erect or twining perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. It is endemic to Western Australia and grows near swamps or granite outcrops in sand, clay, or laterite. D. neesii produces small, cup-shaped carnivorous leaves in groups of three along stems that can be 15–60 cm (6–24 in) high. Pink flowers bloom from August to December.
Drosera radicans is an erect perennial tuberous species in the carnivorous plant genus Drosera. It is endemic to Western Australia and is only found in a relatively small area north of Geraldton. It grows in winter-wet areas in sand or sandy clay soils. D. radicans produces small carnivorous leaves along stems that can be 7–18 cm (3–7 in) high. White flowers bloom from August to September.
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 sect. Ergaleium is a section of 26 species that are erect or scrambling tuberous plants in the genus Drosera. This section represents a natural group and are taxonomically monophyletic.
