Drosera capensis

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Cape Sundew

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Droseraceae
Genus:	Drosera
Species:	D. capensis

Binomial name

Drosera capensis
L. (1753)

Synonyms

Drosera capensis
auct. non L.: E.Mey. ex Planch. (1848) [=Drosera hilaris]
Drosera capensis var. alba
D'Amato (1998) nom.nud.

Drosera capensis with prey

Drosera capensis, commonly known as the Cape sundew, is a small rosette-forming species of perennial^[1] sundew native to the Cape in South Africa. Because of its size, easy to grow nature, and the copious amounts of seed it produces, it has become one of the most common sundews in cultivation. D. capensis produces strap-like leaves, up to 15 cm long and 1 cm wide^{[citation needed]} , which, as in all sundews, are covered in brightly coloured tentacles which secrete a sticky mucilage that traps insects. When insects are first trapped, the leaves roll lengthwise by thigmotropism, which aids digestion by bringing more digestive glands in contact with the prey item. The plant has a tendency to retain the dead leaves of previous seasons, and the main stem of the plant can become quite long and woody with time.

In early summer, D. capensis produces small, five-petalled pink flowers at the end of scapes which can be up to 30 cm tall^{[citation needed]} . The plant self-pollinates upon closing and produces copious quantities of very small, spindle-shaped seeds, which are released from the capsules that form when the flower has died. Under horticultural conditions, carnivorous plant enthusiasts find that these seeds have a tendency to find their way into neighbouring plant pots where they germinate readily, giving D. capensis a reputation as a plant that is just a little too easy to grow.

D. capensis has multiple cultivars, such as var. alba which is a white form with pink trichomes^{[citation needed]} and white flowers. There is also a "red form" that turns blood red in full sunlight, a broad leaf variety, and also a narrow- leafed form. These cultivars are commercially available.