Droseraceae

Droseraceae or the Sundew family consists of three genera and about a hundred species occurring in all climates favorable to plants. The three genera are Aldrovanda, Dionaea, and Drosera. The genus Drosophyllum is sometimes included in the family. Plants are small and herbaceous with rhizoids below ground, with or without tubers or rhizomes. Leaves are basal. The most interesting aspect of this family is that all members are carnivorous. The leaves of Dionaea have hairs which are triggered when an insect touches them, resulting in the clamping of the two halves of the leaf. It is better known as the Venus fly trap. The genus Drosera or the sundews, have glandular hairs from which sticky secretions including enzymes are borne. The secretions are very sticky to trap insects and the digestive enzymes break down their exoskeleton and proteins, which are quickly absorbed. A few members of the genus Drosera are summer dormant. They produce a pea-sized corm to support growth the following year. They occur both in South Africa and Australia and neighbors.

We have the genus Drosera represented on the wiki.


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