Typical Drosera aliciae individuals.
they grow. With a few exceptions,
their roots are very poorly developed consisting only of a few divided branches that are often referred
to as ‘pseudo-roots’ (false roots)
whose sole purpose is probably the
absorption of water.
The characteristic feature of sundews is their leaves, which are covered with sensitive, glandular red
hairs or tentacles that are movable
yet amazingly firm. The glands at
the tips of the tentacles are all surrounded by large drops of extremely sticky, clear secretions that, glistening in the sun, have given rise to
the plants' poetical name, ‘sundew’.
Although the leaves do not appear
green (because of the red tentacles), they do contain chlorophyll
and are therefore able to photosynthesise and produce carbohydrate
food.
Whether insects alight on the leaves
In Drosera aliciae old, dead leaves are retained,
creating a mound.
by mere chance as a resting place
or are attracted by the odour of the
glandular secretions, is not known.
If the odour is attractive, the leaves
may be compared to a baited trap.
Whatever the mechanism, when an
insect lands on a leaf, it is instantly
entangled by the sticky secretions
and the glands at the tips of the
tentacles, excited by the repeated
touches of the struggling insect,
increase their secretions making the
insect's escape virtually impossible.
The surrounding tentacles then
slowly bend toward the insect, engulfing it altogether. Alternatively,
the leaf itself may fold to engulf the
struggling insect. The glands release digestive enzymes that then
dissolve the insect and its organic
nutrients (especially valuable nitrogen), which are then absorbed
through the leaves. Most sundews
occur along permanent water seepages yet surprisingly, falling drops
In D. capensis the inflorescence characteristically nods
above the base of the single open flower.
of water do not cause stimulation
of the tentacles or the leaves.
Of the sundews found in the Western Cape, four species are comparatively widespread. Drosera aliciae
(shepherd's crook sundew, Alice
sundew, sondouw) is a hardy, longlived sundew that is moundforming, characteristically retaining
its old, dead leaves. The species
produces a rosette (to 25 mm) of
stalkless leaves that are spoonshaped. During their flowering period from November to January, a
leafless stem up to 40 cm arises
from the middle of the leaf rosette
bearing up to twelve small (15-20
mm in diameter) pink to purple
flowers. Drosera aliciae is common
in damp, peaty, exposed habitats in
mountainous areas. Due to its hardy nature, the species is often also
found along sporadic seeps.
Drosera capensis (Cape sundew,
Due to vegetative propagation, D. capensis individuals
are often found clumped together.