Tag: South Australia

 

Even within a single vicinity, different Drosera species can be remarkably different from each other  – in size, colour, and general appearance.

However, this description fits all “sundews”:

Sundews are “flypaper” plants that trap prey in sticky hairs on their leaves. They make up one of the largest groups of carnivorous plants. Long tentacles protrude from their leaves, each with a sticky gland at the tip. These droplets look like dew glistening in the sun, thus their name. The glands produce nectar to attract prey, powerful adhesive to trap it, and enzymes to digest it. Once an insect becomes stuck, nearby tentacles coil around the insect and smother it.

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Q: what does this post, the previous post, and the next several posts in this series all have in common?

A: all of their “stars” eat meat. If you look closely at the featured image, you should be able to see some “victims” being devoured, slowly.

The overwhelming majority of this forest’s carnivorous individuals have neither fur nor feathers.

If all appropriately qualified individuals were to join “The Deep Creek Terrestrial Carnivores Club”, its insect, amphibian and reptile members would dominate it.

Although a relatively small minority within the club, its carnivorous plants would outnumber the remainder of its (primarily, mammalian + avian) fauna membership.

You are looking at one of the Drosera – a genus whose members are commonly known as “sundews”.

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