Sundews are perennial (or rarely annual) herbaceous plants, forming prostrate or upright rosettes between 1 cm (0.4 in) and 1 m (39 in) in height, depending on the species. Climbing species form scrambling stems which can reach much longer lengths, up to 3 m (10 ft) in the case of D. erythrogyne. Sundews have been shown to be able to achieve a lifespan of 50 years. The genus is so specialized for nutrient uptake through its carnivorous behaviour, the pygmy sundew is missing the enzymes (nitrate reductase, in particular) that plants normally use for the uptake of earth-bound nitrates.
All species of sundew are able to move their tentacles in response to contact with digestible prey. The tentacles are extremely sensitive and will bend toward the center of the leaf to bring the insect into contact with as many stalked glands as possible. According to Charles Darwin, the contact of the legs of a small gnat with a single tentacle is enough to induce this response. This response to touch is known as thigmonasty, and is quite rapid in some species. The outer tentacles (recently coined as "snap-tentacles") of D. burmannii and D. sessilifolia can bend inwards toward prey in a matter of seconds after contact, while D. glanduligera is known to bend these tentacles in toward prey in tenths of a second. In addition to tentacle movement, some species are able to bend their laminae to various degrees to maximize contact with the prey. Of these, D. capensis exhibits what is probably the most dramatic movement, curling its leaf completely around prey in 30 minutes. Taken from Wikipedia.
My plant is a very small one. This shot is taken from the end of the leaf looking down showing the sticky globules out to the side.
Hi. I haven't been able to give many moments to 365 recently but have just enjoyed scrolling through your lovely floral images whilst sitting in Auckland airport.
Fascinating information and the image is really striking. I lean toward the one with more in focus, but appreciate the artistic take on this one using what looks to be a much shallower aperture.
