Round-leaved sundew

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• round-leaved sundew
• Common Sundew
• round-leaf sundew
• roundleaf sundew

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Rossolis rotundifolia
• Rorella rotundifolia
• Drosera rotundifolia var. capillaris
• Drosera rotundifolia subsp. bracteata
• Drosera rotundifolia var. breviscapa
• Drosera rotundifolia f. comosa
• Drosera rotundifolia var. comosa
• Rossolis septentrionalis
• Drosera rotundifolia f. corsica
• Drosera rotundifolia var. distachya
• Drosera rotundifolia var. furcata
• Drosera rotundifolia var. caulescens
• Drosera rotundifolia var. gracilis
• Drosera rotundifolia var. perennis
• Drosera rotundifolia var. longipetiolata
• Drosera rotundifolia var. maritima
• Drosera septentrionalis
• Drosera belezeana
• Drosera corsica
• Drosera rotundifolia f. pygmaea
• Drosera rotundifolia var. corsica
• Drosera rotundifolia f. breviscapa
• Drosera rotundifolia var. furcata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and is classified under the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Caryophyllales, it falls into the family Droseraceae. It is further identified by the genus Drosera, specifically as the species Drosera rotundifolia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Drosera rotundifolia, exhibits a widespread presence across various regions of Northern Europe. It can be found growing in the natural habitats of Denmark and Finland. Its distribution also extends to the Faroe Islands, where it thrives in specific environmental conditions. Furthermore, the species is established within the landscapes of Great Britain. Finally, its geographical range reaches as far north as Iceland.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Drosera rotundifolia is defined by its preference for highly specific, nutrient-poor environments, primarily occupying habitats characterized by sand and swamps. This species is adapted to waterlogged, acidic conditions where typical plant nutrients are scarce, necessitating its specialized survival strategies. Its distribution is closely tied to specific altitudinal gradients, thriving within a narrow elevational range. It is typically found at elevations ranging from a minimum of 900 m AMSL to a maximum of 1000 m AMSL, with a mean elevation of approximately 950 m AMSL, reflecting its niche specialization in montane or high-latitude wetland ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

950 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

900 m AMSL

Habitat :

sand, swamps

Genetics

The genetics of Drosera rotundifolia are characterized by a stable chromosomal configuration, specifically maintaining a diploid state as indicated by a ploidy level of 2. This diploidy implies that the organism possesses two complete sets of chromosomes, one inherited from each parent, which serves as the fundamental genetic baseline for its reproductive and physiological processes. Such a genomic structure facilitates standard Mendelian inheritance patterns and provides a consistent framework for the expression of complex traits, including the specialized physiological mechanisms required for nutrient acquisition in nutrient-poor environments. The maintenance of this specific ploidy level is a critical aspect of its evolutionary stability and species integrity within its natural ecological niche.

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Drosera rotundifolia is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons within its niche habitats. It functions as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by the leaf litter or the substrate itself. Despite its seasonal growth patterns, the plant exhibits evergreen qualities, maintaining its specialized photosynthetic and predatory structures throughout much of its cycle. This combination of a perennial lifecycle and a hemicryptophytic life form enables the species to endure environmental fluctuations and re-emerge reliably from its dormant buds.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Drosera rotundifolia is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. This plant is a self-supporting species that does not exhibit climbing behavior, such as acting as a liana or vine. In terms of its habitat and life strategy, it is a terrestrial plant that functions independently rather than as a parasite or an epiphyte. The stature of the plant is relatively diminutive, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.05 m to a maximum of 0.3 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 0.082 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.3 m

Plant height mean:

0.082 m

Plant height min:

0.05 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Drosera rotundifolia is defined by its specialized carnivorous lifestyle, an evolutionary adaptation to nutrient-poor environments. Utilizing a C3 photosynthetic pathway, the plant manages energy production through standard carbon fixation, though it relies heavily on the ingestion of prey to supplement nitrogen and phosphorus deficiencies. Its leaves serve a dual purpose of light interception and prey capture, exhibiting significant morphological variation; the leaf length typically averages 0.6 cm, with a minimum of 0.3 cm and a maximum reaching 0.9 cm, while the leaf width ranges from a minimum of 0.5 cm to a maximum of 1.2 cm. The average leaf size is approximately 0.8675 cm², and the plant maintains a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 461.4 cm²/g, reflecting its specialized leaf structure designed for efficient resource acquisition in boggy habitats.

Carnivory :

carnivorous

Leaf length max:

0.9 cm

Leaf length mean:

0.6 cm

Leaf length min:

0.3 cm

Leaf size mean:

0.8675 cm²

Leaf width max:

1.2 cm

Leaf width min:

0.5 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

461.4 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Drosera rotundifolia is characterized by a purely sexual process, as asexual reproduction is absent in this species. The plant produces bisexual flowers that undergo pollination primarily via flies. The flowering period typically begins in June and concludes in August, with the inflorescence reaching a length between 0.085 m and 0.21 m. Following successful pollination, which can occur through self-fertilization, the plant develops a capsule as its fruit type. These capsules are dehiscence-type, meaning they are dehiscent to release their seeds. The seeds produced are extremely lightweight, with a mean mass of 1.7e-05 g, ranging from a minimum of 8e-06 g to a maximum of 3e-05 g. Dispersal is achieved through an anemochorous syndrome, where the wind serves as the primary mechanism for spreading the seeds.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit type :

capsule

Inflorescence length max:

0.21 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.085 m

Pollination syndrome :

fly

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

3e-05 g

Seed mass mean:

1.7e-05 g

Seed mass min:

8e-06 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Drosera rotundifolia has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 7-Methyljuglone, Flavonoids, Naphthoquinones, quercetin.

7-Methyljuglone

1. Biofilm

Flavonoids

1. Biofilm

Naphthoquinones

1. Biofilm

quercetin

1. Die Pharmazie

Conditions

Drosera rotundifolia has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cough, respiratory diseases.

Cough

1. Advances in experimental medicine and biology

Respiratory diseases

1. Advances in experimental medicine and biology

Preparations

Drosera rotundifolia has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include whole plant extracts.

Whole plant extracts

1. International journal of molecular sciences