Drosera. DROSERACE/E. '81 



Order XVI. DROSERACEiE. DC. The Sundew Tribe. 



Calyx of 5 equal persistent sepals, iml)ricated in aestivation. Corolla of 5 equal 

 petals, marcescent. Stamens usually as many as the petals and alternate with 

 them, rarely 2 - 3 times as many, marcescent ; anthers extrorse or innate. 

 Styles 3-5, usually distinct, or only united at the base, each 2-parted, or 

 many-cleft and pencil-shaped ; sometimes all united into one. Capsule one- 

 celled, 3 - 5-valved, opening loculicidally with the valves placentiferous in the 

 middle, or sometimes bursting irregularly with a thick placenta at the base. 

 Seeds usually numerous, anatropous ; testa sometimes arilliform. Embryo 

 small, at the base of cartilaginous or membranaceous albumen. — Small herbs 

 growing in wet jslaces, usually clothed with glandular hairs. Leaves alternate 

 or clustered at the base of the scape, circinate in vernation. Stipules none, 

 or in the form of a fringe of hairs at the base of the petioles. 



1. DROSERA. Linn. ; Endl. gen. 503S. ' SUNDEW. 



[Named from the Greek, rkosos, dew ; the plant appearing as if covered with dew.] 



Stamens 5. Styles distinct, 2-parted ; the divisions somewhat thickened towards the apex, 

 or many-cleft. Capsule globose or ovoid, usually 3-vaIved at the top : valves placentiferous 

 to the summit. Seeds very numerous, in 2 - 5 rows on each placenta. — Small herbs, 

 growing in sphagnous and sandy swamps. The North American species are acaulcscent, 

 with a rosulate tuft of leaves and simple scapes, which are circinate when young. Leaves 

 covered with numerous reddish gland-bearing hairs, which secrete a viscid fluid that stains 

 paper red. Flowers usually small, white, rose-colored, or purple. 



1. Drosera rotundifolia, Linn. Round-leaved Sundeiv. 



Leaves orbicular, spreading, abruptly attenuated into the long hairy petiole ; petals (white) 

 oblong ; styles very short, 2-parted, with somewhat club-shaped divisions ; seeds linear, with 

 a loose arilliform testa. — Eng. hot. t. 867 ; Michx.jl. 1. p. 186 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. .375 ; Nutt. 

 gen. I. p. 141 ; Torr.fl.p. 331 ; DC.prodr. \. p. 318; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 81 ; Dar- 

 lingt.fl. Cest. p. 211 ; Torr. ^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 146. 



Leaves (including the petiole) 1 - 1 i inch long ; the lamina about half an inch in diameter ; 

 the fringed stipules at the base conspicuous. Scapes solitary, or 2 - 3 from one root, 4-8 

 inches high, 5 - 10-flowered ; the raceme sometimes forked at the base. Pedicels 1-2 lines 

 long. Capsule oblong. Seeds attenuated at each extremity. 



Sphagnous swamps. Fl. July - August. Fi-. September. 



[Flora.] 11 



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