Droseraceae: Drosera rotundifolia L.
(round-leaf sundew)
Drosera rotundifolia is a small, round-leaved, carnivorous plant found in bogs and other wet habitats. It is one of three species of the genus Drosera found in Nova Scotia. Each plant forms a basal rosette of rounded leaves bearing glandular hairs. The flowering stalk is glabrous and bears several white to red flower buds that open from the bottom upward. Flowers bloom in July and August and open only when the sun is shining. Seeds are pointed at both ends. The sticky hairs on the leaves attract and trap passing insects. Enzymes in the fluid digest the insect and the resulting nitrogen and other nutrients are taken up by the plant's cells. This is an adaptation to living in an acidic, nutrient-poor environment. Drosera rotundifolia is abundant throughout Nova Scotia and has a cosmopolitan range.
Sources | Selected Web Resources | Line Drawing
Click on images for larger versions.
| June 2, 2008. Guysborough County: Canso area. Photographer: Ocotillo. | |
 The plants, growing among the moss Pohlia nutans, were in an open, wet field. |
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Selected Web Resources
- Taxonomic Status (ITIS) Copy the species name above and paste it into a form on this ITIS Canada page to confirm the nomenclature and list synonyms.
- NatureServe Explorer Copy the species name above and paste it into a form on this page to view a map of its distribution within North America and its conservation status by province and state.