Family Droseraceae
Description: Herbs with tubers or small rhizomes, sometimes ephemeral.
Leaves often circinate, radical and forming a basal rosette, or cauline and radical, entire or forked with linear lobes. Leaves and aerial stems with glandular hairs, or sensitive bristles that trigger closing of lamina to trap insects and small water animals; stipules present or absent.
Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual, solitary or in cymes or racemes, axillary or terminal. Sepals 4 or 5, sometimes more, free or shortly united. Petals 4 or 5, sometimes more, free. Stamens 4 or 5, hypogynous, free; anthers bilocular, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, 1-locular, carpels 3–5; styles 2–5, simple or branched; ovules many.
Fruit a loculicidal capsule, surrounded by persistent calyx; seeds many, small.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 4 genera, c. 100 species, widespread in temperate & tropical regions. Australia: 2 genera, c. 70 species, all States.
External links:
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (Family: Droseraceae, Order: Caryophyllales)
Wikipedia Treatment adapted from Marchant, Aston & George (1982).
Text by G. J. Harden
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the genera | |
| 1 | Plants terrestrial; leaves with glandular hairs; lamina not articulate | Drosera |
| Plants aquatic; leaves with sensitive hairs on trap-like lamina; lamina articulate | Aldrovanda |
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