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Drosera intermedia - (image 1 of 4)

Taxonomy

Family: Droseraceae

Habitat

Acid bogs and sandy shores.

Associates

Some of these specimens were found growing with Drosera rotundifolia, Eriocaulon compressum, Iris versicolor, Sarracenia purpurea, Sphagnum spp., Vaccinium macrocarpon, Viola lanceolata.

Distribution

Circumboreal; in North America from Newfoundland to FL, west to MN, IL, TN, and TX.

Morphology

Perennial. Leaves covered in glandular hairs that exude a sticky substance; blade of leaves spatulate, longer than broad, some of the leaves originating on nodes above the rosette. Flowers white on a scape to 80 cm; sepals 3-4 mm; petals 4-5 mm; stamens 5; ovary superior. Fruit a capsule; seeds papillose.

Notes

Flowers early July to mid September

Wetland indicator: Obligate

These little plants are very photogenic. The sticky hairs are used to trap insects. The plants are able then to use the nitrogen from the insects to compensate for low available nitrogen in their acidic habitats.

References

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

Niering, W. A. 1979. The Audubon society field guide to North American wildflowers: eastern region.
Knopf/Random House, New York.

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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