Drosera stolonifera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Drosera stolonifera |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Drosera
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stolonifera
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The Drosera stolonifera, often called the leafy sundew, is a special type of carnivorous plant. It's a perennial plant, which means it lives for many years. It also has a tuber (a special underground storage part) that helps it survive. This plant is found only in Western Australia.
The leafy sundew grows 2 to 3 stems that stand partly upright. These stems can be about 10 to 15 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) long. It is quite similar to another plant called D. purpurascens, but it has different features like its height and the length of its leaf stalks (called petioles).
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Where Does the Leafy Sundew Live?
This plant naturally grows in several swampy areas around Perth in Western Australia, stretching south to Pinjarra. It likes to grow in wet, peaty soils found in swampy heathland areas.
The leafy sundew usually flowers from September to October. After a bushfire, you might see many of these plants flower all at once!
How Was It Discovered and Named?
The first samples of D. stolonifera were collected by Charles von Hügel in the Swan River region in 1833. Then, in 1837, a scientist named Stephan Endlicher officially described and named the plant.
For many years, scientists debated how to classify different types of D. stolonifera. Some thought they were all the same species with small differences, while others believed they were separate species. This led to a lot of discussion about how to group these plants.
Over time, some of the different forms and varieties of D. stolonifera were given their own names as subspecies. Later, some of these subspecies were even changed to be considered full species. For example, D. humilis was once thought to be a variety of D. stolonifera, but it is now its own species.
Today, there are two main subspecies of D. stolonifera that scientists recognize:
- D. stolonifera subsp. stolonifera
- D. stolonifera subsp. monticola
Different Types of D. stolonifera Subspecies
Within the stolonifera subspecies, there are two main types, or "morphs," that scientists have noticed:
- Swampland type: This type grows in peaty, sandy soils that are wet during winter. You can find it in heathlands.
- Hills type: This type grows in well-drained, clayey sands in Jarrah woodlands. Its leaves can turn a reddish color as they get older.
See also
In Spanish: Drosera stolonifera para niños
