Drosera andersoniana Species Profile

Drosera andersoniana Species Profile

Drosera andersoniana is an erect tuberous sundew from the interior Wheatbelt Region of Western Australia.

Drosera andersoniana always has a well formed basal rosette, with a tapering petiole and a broad elliptic lamina. As the plant developes throughout the growing seasn, an stem of up to 35 cm tall is formed. The leaves on the erect stem have thin petioles and are slightly notched to flattened at the top. Small glands cover the surface of the stem. The flowers are white or pink with highly divided stigmas.

The species grows in the semi-arid interior of south west Western Australia. It is often associated with granite outcrops, preferring the sparse woodland that forms around the soaks collected at the base of the monoliths. Like make species of the granite outcrops, it can grow in impressive numbers and cover entire fields. The species is dormant in summer.

In the absence of the erect stem, the strong basal rosette distinguishes it from erect sundews within its range, however, the trait is also shared by Drosera yilgarnensis. Drosera andersoniana is distinguished by its thicker basal rosette petioles (the petioles of D. yilargensis are thin), rounder stem leaves (those of D. yilgarnensis are strongly notched at the top, with long extensions at the upper extremity) and finely divided white stigmas (those of D. yilgarnensis are fleshy and orange).

The basal rosette
The flowers of Drosera andersoniana.
A field of D. andersoniana.
Drosera andersoniana near Norseman
Drosera andersoniana near Norseman
Drosera andersoniana near Norseman
Close Menu