In this blog I will tell you somehting about Drosera macrantha, one of the tallest species in my collection. After my first blog about Drosera ramellosa, I will write again something about one of the sundews from my collection. D. macrantha (also known as the bridal Rainbow) is, like D. ramellosa, a tuberous sundew from South West Australia. Where D. ramellosa is relatively small (max 15 cm), Drosera macrantha is a climbing/scrambling species that can get 50 -150 cm tall. This makes is one of the tallest species of the genus. It does not make a rosette.
The stem is covered with alternating groups of three cupped shaped leaves. The leaves might be green but are also often red coloured. Drosera macrantha might be one of the tallest species of the genus, but the leaves are only 2.5 – 5 mm wide. With the central petiole significantly longer than the other two leaves. This leave is often used to anchor the plant to shrubs or rocks to direct the flowers into the open. It eventually give rise to between 5 and 20 white flowers at the top of the stem. The flowers, like in many sundews, are only open for one day. Except for the lower part of the stem is covered with hair like (often red coloured) glands.
Like most of the tuberous sundews, D. macrantha is limited to South West Australia where it is widespread. It is a variable. species. Actually D. macrantha should be considered as a member from a species complex. In the recent past some varieties and subspecies have been elevated to the species level and it is well possible that more will follow.
There are large differences in size between different varieties and there is even one that makes a kind of basic rosette.
Drosera macrantha in my collection
At the moment I do have three different clones growing in my collection. It is easy to see the variability in the species even from this small sample size.
One plant was originally collected near the village of Carbarup in West Australia is initially growing erect, leaning over when it gets taller. Related to this issue are the relatively short (central)petioles, these become only elongated near the top. This plant will reach a length of about 50 cm. The leaves are quite large, deeply cupped and slightly wrinkled. This plant will only occasionally produce daughter tubers.
On the other hand I do have two different “rock outcrop” forms. These are slender, have smaller, shallower leaves, but one of them makes it to at least 80 cm tall. The rock outcrop plants produce daughter tubers easily. The second rock outcrop form is really fine, but somehow did not flower yet.