Sundew |
There are three species of Sundew found in Britain, these are: Round Leaved, Oblong Leaved, and Great, but worldwide there are over 100 Sundew species. Sundew are a carnivorous plant, they catch their prey in the sticky tentacles on the leaves. The prey is small insects such as midges and gnats which stick to the leaves and are then covered in enzymes from the sundew before being absorbed by the plants. The images below are all of the Round Leaved Sundew which is the most common of the three British species. It is quite common in Scotland, Wales, and across Ireland. It is generally found in bare peat and Sphagnum mosses both waterlogged and on the ground in heaths and moors. The leaves are generally small and are about 5 mm across. Both the rarer Oblong Leaved and the Great Sundew have bigger leaves which can reach over 40 mm with great Sundew. All three have white / light pink flowers often between June and August which are between 5 and 12 mm across depending on the species.
|