Description
Drosera capensis Pink (Droseraceae). Cape Sundew. It is a very easy sundew to grow. The leaves are up to 6.5 cm long, tapered toward the base. The leaves are densely covered with trichomes (plant hairs) that secrete a sticky sap that attracts insects. The hairs cover the top surface of the leaves and provide a moist appearance that is irresistable to insects. Once an insect is trapped on a leaf, the leaf curls around the insect, bringing numerous sticky trichomes into contact with the insect. Drosera secretes digestive enzymes into this mix when it detects an insect and this continues until the insect is liquified and its soluble contents digested. The flowers appear in autumn and are normally pink coloured. Sowing : Sow seeds in autumn on a moist mixture. Locality : Stellenbosch. Date of harvest : Jan 2014.
