Drosera arcturi
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| Drosera arcturi | ||||||||||||||
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| Drosera arcturi Hook. |
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Drosera arcturi is a perennial, insectivorous species of sub-alpine or alpine herb native to Australia and New Zealand. It is one of New Zealand's two alpine species of sundew, the other being Drosera stenopetala.The specific epithet, which translates as "of Arthur" from latin, is a reference to Mount Arthur, Tasmania, the type locality of the species.[1][2]
D. arcturi grows in alpine bogs, tarns and seepages and is also commonly found in Sphagnum bogs. It is found in alpine areas from the East Cape of North Island, New Zealand, southwards to Stuart Island, New Zealand. It is found above 1500m altitude in North Island, descending to sea level in the South Island. It is also found in the mountains of southeastern Australia and Tasmania. In New Zealand, D. arcturi is often found growing in clumps alonside Ultricularia dichotoma.[3]
The leaves of D. arcturi are linear, 1-10 cm long but usually less than 5 cm, undivided and range in colour from light lime green, to muddy brown, to a bright red if subjected to full sunlight. Like all other species of Drosera, D. arcturi catches insects using sticky, glandular hairs on its leaves. In D. arcturi, these glandular hairs are red. Young leaves begin at the center of the plant and are folded along their center. Once the young leaf reaches full maturity it unfolds like a book.[3]
D. arcturi is a summer grower, and it dies down to a dormant hibernaculum to survive the cold, harsh alpine winters it is subjected to. The hibernaculum is normally buried near the surface of the soil or moss and is usually covered with snow for several months during winter.[3]
The plants' first upright leaves emerge in spring. After two or three leaves have formed, a small, solitary white flower, 13 mm across, is then borne on a short stalk in summer, and positioned near the top of the leaves. Flowers are present from November to February and fruits are present in February. After flowering, the leaves gradually reduce in size to form the hibernaculum.[3]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Image gallery on the website of the New Zealand Carnivorous Plant Society.
