Drosera capillaris

Drosera capillaris, also known as the pink sundew, is a species of carnivorous plant belonging to the family Droseraceae. It is native to the southern United States, the Greater Antilles, western and southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. It is critically endangered in some places and thrives in unique conditions like fires, as it allows new growth to flourish. The prey they capture gives them the majority of their nutrients and allows them to live in nutrient lacking environments. It's danger to being extinct is influenced by pollution. Human collection and hobbyists are also directly impacting the survival of this species and it is affecting surrounding species.

Description

Drosera capillaris is a perennial and herbaceous plant which forms mostly prostrate (but occasionally upright) rosettes. In more temperate regions, it grows as an annual. They can reach a diameter of 3 inches (7.6 cm) at their largest. Individual leaf blades typically range from 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) to 1 inch (2.5 cm) in length. Their inflorescences can reach heights of 4 inches (10 cm) to 14 inches (36 cm), forming a one sided raceme, with 1 to 6 pink, or rarely, white blooms. Flowers mature to an ovoid capsule, roughly 1⁄8 inch (0.32 cm) long. They typically flower from May to August.

D. capillaris can be confused with D. intermedia (spoonleaf sundew) especially when young, as both form flat rosettes and inhabit the same habitats. However D. capillaris petioles are sparsely pilose, while D. intermedia is glabrous. Like all members of its genus, D. capillaris leaf blades are covered in glandular trichomes which excrete a sugary mucilage. Small invertebrates then become trapped by the hairs, and are subsequently digested by enzymes. The trichomes act similarly to tentacles, closing around trapped organisms further ensnaring them.