Droseraceae

Plant sex: Flowers bisexual

Flowers: Actinomorphic,5-merous. Placentation in Dionaea is basal

Inflorescence: cymes, often on a long scape

Fruits: Loculicidal capsules

Habit: Insectivorous, perennial herbs

Leaves: Alternate, seldom Whorled, CIRCINATE in bud. Highly modified to trap insect. With mucilage secreting glandular trichomes (Drosera) or snap-traps (Dionaea)

Examples:
Drosera (sundew)

Habit of D. brevifolia from Florida showing glandular trichomes.
D. capensis with leaves curling around captured insect
Habit of D. capensis in flower.

Dionaea muscipula (Venus's flytrap)

Leaves of the Venus's flytrap
Leaf close-up showing the three trigger hairs present on each leaf pad of the snap trap.
Habit of potted plant in flower
Flower
Flower L.S. Note basal placentation.

SIUC / College of Science / Elements of Plant Systematics
URL: http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/PLB304/Lecture14Caryop/Droseraceae.html
Last updated: 28-Feb-08 / dln