Drosera arcturi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Drosera arcturi |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Drosera
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| Species: |
arcturi
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| Distribution within Australia | |
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Drosera arcturi is a special type of plant that eats insects! It's a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. This amazing plant is a carnivorous herb that grows in cold, high places like mountains. You can find it in Australia and New Zealand. It's one of only two types of sundew plants that live in the high mountains of New Zealand. The name arcturi comes from Latin and means "of Arthur." This refers to Mount Arthur in Tasmania, which is where this plant was first discovered.
Where Drosera arcturi Lives
Drosera arcturi likes to grow in wet, marshy areas. These include bogs, small mountain lakes (called tarns), and wet spots where water seeps out of the ground. It often grows in places with lots of Sphagnum moss.
In New Zealand, you can find this plant in the mountains from the East Cape of the North Island all the way south to Stewart Island. In the North Island, it usually grows above 1,500 meters (about 4,900 feet) high. But in the South Island, you can find it even at sea level.
It also lives in the mountains of southeastern Australia and in Tasmania. In Tasmania, it sometimes grows down to sea level in the western and southwestern parts of the island. In New Zealand, Drosera arcturi often grows in groups next to another plant called Utricularia dichotoma.
How Drosera arcturi Catches Food
The leaves of Drosera arcturi are long and thin, usually about 1 to 5 centimeters (0.4 to 2 inches) long. They can be light green, muddy brown, or even maroon if they get a lot of sunlight.
Just like other Drosera species, this plant catches insects using sticky, special hairs on its leaves. These hairs are red and produce a sticky liquid that traps insects. When the plant is young, its leaves start out folded in half. As they grow, they slowly unfold, like a book opening up.
Its Life Cycle
In spring, the first upright leaves of Drosera arcturi start to appear. After a few leaves have grown, the plant usually produces a single white flower. This flower is about 13 millimeters (0.5 inches) wide and grows on a short stem near the top of the leaves in summer.
However, there's a larger type of Drosera arcturi that grows in lower areas. This type can produce 1 to 5 flowers on a longer stem, up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) long! Flowers are usually seen from November to February, and fruits appear from January to March.
Drosera arcturi grows actively during the summer. As winter approaches and the weather gets cold, its leaves gradually get smaller. The plant then forms a special, horn-shaped bud called a hibernaculum. This bud helps the plant survive the cold, harsh alpine winters. The hibernaculum is usually buried just below the surface of the soil or moss. It's often covered by snow for several months during winter, which protects it until spring arrives again.
See also
In Spanish: Drosera arcturi para niños
