Drosera rotundifolia L.

Family: DROSERACEAE

Genus: Drosera

Catalan common name: Dròsera comuna. Herba de la gota. Resplendor de la nit.

Spanish common name: Atrapamoscas. Drósera. Hierba de la gota. Hierba del rocío. Rosolí.

Province distribution: Girona. Lleida.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Eurosiberian

Uses and properties: Medicinal.

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Hemicryptophyte.

Habitats: Mulleres de montaña, peat bog, mountainous lakes.

Characteristics: Above all on hygroturbous sphagnum meadows, more rare on artesian spring plant communities. On silicic soils. A rhizomatous and carnivorous plant, reddish in colour to attract insects. All leaves are basal, close to the substrate. The lamina is elliptic and covered with red pedicellate glands, these longer at the leaf margin; at the leaf apex there is a drop of sticky substance to trap insects. The inflorescence is a pauciflor raceme. The calyx and the corolla are made of a variable number of pieces (normally 5). The petals are slightly larger than the sepals. The fruit is an oblong capsule.

Observations: The plant obtains its nutrients from these trapped insects. When a prey is caught by a leaf, this organ folds and partially covers the victim and secretes various digestive enzymes from small glands. This digest the prey and liberate the nutrients for absorption by the same leaf. Finally, the leaf opens and releases only the keratinous exoskeleton of the prey.