Drosera also known as Round-leaved sundew and common sundew has got its scientific name Drosera rotundifolia. Drosera could be found from Greenland, Newfoundland west to Alaska. It could be found in Pacific coast, Western Montana, California and Western Colorado. It is also available in Georgia, Nova Scotia, Alabama, Florida, Lowa, Mississippi River and Minnesota. Drosera also occurs in Asia as well as Europe. Drosera does well in open, partly sunny or sunny habitat.
Facts of Drosera
Name
Drosera (Sundew)
Scientific Name
Drosera rotundifolia
Native
It is found in Siberia, Korea, North America, New Guinea and Japan.
Its habitat is in Britain, Europe, China, India, New Holland, Cape of Good Hope, Russian Asia and South and North America.
Common/English Name
Round-leaved sundew, common sundew
Name in Other Languages
Dutch: Ronde Zonnedauw; Danish: Rundbladet Soldug; German: Rundblättriger Sonnentau; Swedish: Pyöreälehtikihokki, Rundsileshår; French: Rossolis À Feuilles Rondes, Droséra À Feuilles Rondes; English: Round-Leaf Sundew; Catalan: Herba de la gota, Dròsera; Spanish: Drosera, Rocio del sol, Hierba de la gota; Chinese: Yuán yè máo gāo cài (圆叶茅膏菜); Finnish: Pyöreälehtikihokki; Italian: Drosera a foglie rotonde; Romanian: roua cerului; Russian: rosjanka kruglolistnaja (росянка круглолистная);
Plant Growth Habit
Insectivorous, perennial, aquatic
Soil
Moist or wet soil
Plant Size
6 in. (15 cm)
Root
Short, slender, fibrous
Stem
Slender, erect, 2 to 6 inches high
Leaf
Basal rosette, narrow, hairy, petioles 1.3-5.0 cm long; laminae 4-10 mm long
Flowering Season
Summer and early autumn
Flower
Diameter 3-5 cm, 5-25 cm tall; white or pink, five petals
Fruit shape & size
Pear-shaped, glossy, tapering tip
Plant parts used
Flowering plant dried in the air
Seed
Slender, tapered, 1.0-1.5 mm, light brown, ellipsoid to globose
Drosera rotundifolia subsp. gracilis Laest. ex Hulten
Drosera rotundifolia subsp. longipetiolata Len.
Drosera rotundifolia subsp. longipetiolata Len. ex M.Tamura
Drosera rotundifolia subsp. maritima Graebner
Drosera rotundifolia subsp. pygmaea Saelan
Drosera rotundifolia subsp. pygmaea Saelan ex Hjelt
Drosera rotundifolia subsp. rotundifolia
Drosera rotundifolia var. breviscapa Regel
Drosera rotundifolia var. capillaris A.A.Eaton & Wright
Drosera rotundifolia var. comosa Fernald
Drosera rotundifolia var. corsica Maire
Drosera rotundifolia var. distachya DC.
Drosera rotundifolia var. furcata Y.Z.Ruan
Drosera rotundifolia var. gracilis Laest. ex Hultén
Drosera rotundifolia var. longipetiolata H.Lév.
Drosera rotundifolia var. maritima Graebn.
Drosera rotundifolia var. rotundifolia
Drosera septentrionalis (Scop.) Stokes
Drosera septentrionalis subsp. rotundifolia (L.) Stokes
Rorella rotundifolia (L.) All.
Rossolis rotundifolia (L.) Moench
Rossolis septentrionalis Scop.
This plant has been using for its aphrodisiac and fortifying effects since long time ago. It is used to treat chest problems, wheezing, ease breathing and respiratory tract. It possesses antibiotic, antibacterial, antitussive, antispasmodic, expectorant and hypoglycaemic activity. This plant could be dried and kept for later use.
Plant
Drosera is a sundew species plant that could be found in marshes, bogs, and fens. This plant also grows in rotting logs, swamps, and mossy cervices in rocks. It is a perennial plant that has short life. It could be found in all areas of Northern Europe. The plant is insectivorous as it feed on insects which got attracted to its bright red color. With the use of enzymes the plant dissolves insects that stuck to glandular tentacles and, ammonia, as well as other nutrients, are extracted from their bodies. Nitrogen which is absorbed by other plants from soil are replaced by ammonia.
Leaves
Its leaves are arranged in basal rosette with 1.3-5.0 cm long petioles that are hairy and narrow which supports laminae of 4-10 mm long. The upper surface secretes sticky mucilage for attracting and entrapping small prey and insects.
Flower and Seeds
The plant bears 5-25 cm high inflorescence with diameter 3-5 cm. On the side of a slender, flowers grow with hairless stalk that emerge from the center of leaf rosette. The flowers have white or pink five petals that produce fruit which consists of slender and tapered seeds of 1.0-1.5 mm in light brown color. The seeds have ellipsoid to globose shape which is extended at each end.
Root
It has shallow root system which measures less than 6 cm or 2.4 inches. The taproot functions for less than a year that got replaced with horizontal adventitious roots that has few hairs.
Traditional uses
This herb is useful for treating asthma, bronchitis, tracheitis, pertussis, and gastric ulceration.
It eases breathing, relax respiratory tract muscles and provides relief from wheezing.
It helps to treat chest problems and whooping cough.
It is an aid for chronic bronchitis, incipient phthisis and asthma.
Use it externally for treating warts, corns and bunions.
The juice made from leaves is used to treat corns and warts.
Precautions
Pregnant and lactation women should avoid using Drosera.
Allergic people should avoid it.
Consult by the people with health problems before using Drosera.
Side effects such as tightness in chest or throat and breathing problems, rash, skin hives and swollen skin might be caused.
