Drosera ordensis
About
A notable Australian sundew, *Drosera ordensis* is part of the petiolaris complex and is distinguished by its wide, silvery-haired petioles. It forms perennial rosettes that are effective at trapping arthropod prey.
Field notes
Morphology
It forms perennial rosette-forming clumps of stemless or nearly stemless rosettes. Each plant has numerous leaves with a long, hairy petiole supporting a nearly round lamina. The lamina is densely studded with stalked mucilaginous glands. Flowers form on a crowded raceme, opening singly, and are five-petaled, ranging from pink to nearly white, and about 1.5 cm in diameter.
Distribution & habitat
Northeast tip of Western Australia near Kununurra and Pago, and the neighboring region of the Northern Territory in Keep River National Park. It prefers sandy soils near sandstone outcrops.
Ecology
The lamina is studded with stalked mucilaginous glands that attract and trap arthropod prey, which is subsequently digested and absorbed by the plant for nutrients. It is often associated with Sorghum species.
Conservation
Assessed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Australia
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate