Plants of
South Australia
Drosera auriculata
Droseraceae
Tall Sundew,
Errienellam
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Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
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Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 11

Prior names

Sondera auriculata

Drosera peltata var. auriculata

Drosera peltata ssp. auriculata

Common names

Tall Sundew

Errienellam

Etymology

Drosera from the Greek 'droseros' meaning dewy, alluding to the glistening hairs of the glandular leaf laminae. Auriculata from the Greek 'auricula' meaning ear-shaped, referring to the shape of the cauline leaves.

Distribution and status

Found in southern South Australia from the Flinders Ranges to the lower South-east growing in moist areas. Also found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania (and New Zealand). Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: Northern Lofty, Southern Lofty, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
NRM region: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Small herb with flowering stems to 20 cm high. Lowest leaves in a flat rosette, circular to reniform, to 6 mm diameter. Stem leaves alternate or in clusters, lamina with 2 acute lobes, to 6 mm diameter, peltate on slender petiole to 9 mm long, stipules absent. Inflorescence to 10 cm long with 2-8 white or pink flowers. Bud sepals hairless. This species is distinguished from the closely related D. peltata and D. hookeri by its longer, cylindrical seeds, glabrous sepals, and generally longer style and petals, where as D. peltata have densely hairy sepals, reddish basal rosettes, cauline leaves that are less than 6 mm wide, and fusiform, shallowly reticulate seeds and D. hookeri have wider-leaves with green basal rosettes and deeply pitted cylindric to ovoid seeds. Flowering between August and November. Fruits are brown globose capsule to 6 mm diameter; erect, enclosed in persistent smooth sepals. Seeds are black, narrowly linear-cylindrical to 1 mm long, with a mesh-like surface.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between October and December. Collect mature capsules, those that are fat, hard, turning brown and contain black seeds inside. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for one to two weeks. Then rub the capsules gently by hand to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.