Drosera xerophila

Drosera xerophila

Family: Droseraceae

Common names: xeric sundew, dryland sundew

is a perennial herb that arises from dark, sparsely branched, terete roots. Flowering individuals have 8 to 14, spoon-shaped leaves that spread out and lie flat on the ground, forming rosettes that range in diameter from 20 to 50 mm. Older plants can reach up to 20 mm tall by forming a column-like structure with the dried remains of old leaf rosettes stacked up under the current leaves. The new leaves are arranged in a folded manner when young and are bent abruptly like a knee joint. The leaves are bright green to yellowish green, broadly spoon-shaped, rounded, or elliptical, 7–15 mm long and 2–3.5 mm wide at the base, expanding to 5–10 mm at its widest point. The upper surface is covered with with bright red, sticky, radially symmetrical tentacles tipped with mucilaginous glands that secrete a sticky substance. The tentacles at the edge of the leaf are about 0.8–1 mm long with an elliptical gland at the tip and a narrow, flat stalk. The underside of the lamina (leaf blade) has simple, white-translucent hairs that are 0.5–1 mm long. The stipules (small leaf-like structures at the base of the leaf stalk) are very narrow and triangular, 5–6 mm long, and translucent white, turning pale brown when dry. The lower part is entire, while the upper part is divided into three segments, with the middle segment being narrow and triangular, and the lateral segments are linear-triangular. The leaf stalk (petioles) are narrow and wedge-shaped, 3–10 mm long, and about 1 mm wide at the base, gradually widening to 2–3.5 mm. The upper surface of the petiole is smooth, though sometimes it has white hairs. The edges and lower surface of the petiole are densely covered with straight or slightly curled, white-translucent hairs.

Sowing instructions: Use a soil mix of 50% peat moss and 50% perlite. Make sure the soil is completely moist. Use a 4-inch pot if you are sowing a small pinch of these seeds. Sprinkle your seeds evenly over the soil and very gently tap them down. Keep your pot in standing water. Use a tray or a bowl to set your pot in, and fill it up with water. Keep the water line no more than half way up the pot. Use water that is low in minerals. Keep the air temperature between 75° and 85°F for optimal germination.

Locality: Hermanus. Harvest: December 2024