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Drosera capillaris
Also called Pink Sundew, Spathulate Leaved Sundew
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.
Drosera capillaris occurs in subtropical to tropical seepage bogs, savannas, and grasslands often dominated by species of pine, including Pinus palustris (longleaf), P. elliottii (slash), or P. caribaea (Caribbean). Such habitats are subject to frequent fires (but less than their upland counterparts, which often are subject to seasonal burns). Like other species of sundew, D. capillaris is fire adapted, as elimination of competing plants facilitates proliferation of seedlings. Thus reducing surrounding combative plants lets Drosera and other carnivorous plants reestablish itself in the local environment. Thick clay deposits both prevent the establishment of large trees or shrubs, and trap water. The resulting habitat are sunny but always wet. These habitats are highly acidic, sandy, and nutrient deficient, incentivizing carnivory. Drosera are allowed to flourish in these nutrient deficient environments since they take in a lot of nutrients from the prey they capture.
Scented Sundew · Drosera acaulis · Drosera adelae · Peninsula Sundew · Slender Leaved Sundew · White Sundew · Drosera albonotata · Australian sundew · Pygmy Sundew · Drosera amazonica · Drosera andersoniana · Drosera androsacea
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Drosera capillaris by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
