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Drosera spatulata


Drosera spatulata
Photo Information
Copyright: Steve Reekie (LordPotty) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1449 W: 146 N: 3764] (12035)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-10-28
Categories: Rain Forest
Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8, Raynox DCR 150 macro lens
Exposure: f/8, 1/13 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-11-25 2:24
Viewed: 881
Points: 16
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Species : Drosera spatulata
Authority : Drosera spatulata Labill.
Family : Droseraceae
Common Name : Sundew
Structural Class : Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites
Distribution : Indigenous. New Zealands North,South and Stewart islands.
Also present in Australia
Habitat : A species of open, acidic, poorly drained ground. May be common on bare clay, often seen in peat bogs, where at times it may form a dense turf. Usually abundant after fires.
Status: Not threatened.
(Source:New Zealand Plant Conservation Network)


This is one of the tiny native Sundew plants that can be found growing amongst mosses on damp,partly shaded banks.
They are relatively common,particularly in coal bearing areas of the West Coast because the soils tend to be particularly acidic and do not drain well.
This one I found growing amongst mine shaft entrances on the banks of the Grey River,very close to the site of the old Brunner mine.

Sundews are one of the worlds best known carnivorous plants (along with the Venus Fly Trap and Pitcher Plants).

The following is an extract from the Wikipedia page on Sundews:

The Sundews (Drosera) comprise one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with over 170 species. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginous glands covering their leaf surface. The insects are used to supplement the poor mineral nutrition that sundews are able to obtain from the soil they grow in. Various species, which vary greatly in size and form, can be found growing natively on every continent except Antarctica.

Both the botanical name (from the Greek δρόσος: "drosos" = "dew, dewdrops") as well as the English common name (sundew, derived from Latin ros solis, meaning "dew of the sun") refer to the glistening drops of mucilage at the tip of each tentacle that resemble drops of morning

I hope you like this little native gem.
Thanks for viewing and comments.

Cheers
Steve
boreocypriensis, Gert-Paassen, xTauruSx, marhowie, uleko has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Vinster: ISO - f/stopLordPotty 1 11-25 15:56
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Steve, another great macro capture of a carnivorous plant. i am wondering if you photographed a Nepenthes one, an another carnivorous plant from your geography. It would be nice to see it from your excellent photography my friend.
TFS and cheers,

Bayram

Hi Steve
Great shot of this tiny sundew in a mossy setting. We've got a couple of species of Drosera on the lowland heaths near where I live in Bournemouth. This one has more tentacles in the centre of the leaf than the species I'm familiar with.
Looking at the photo data, I wonder if you could have pushed the ISO to 200 and used a higher f/stop to get a little more depth of field? A good shot regardless!
Kind Regards
Vinny

Hi Steve,

Nice shot from this difficult to photograph plant.
Nice pov and good details on the drops.
There are 3 species in the Netherlands and all three are on the Red list and protected.

Gert

Ciao Steve, fascinating composition with fantastic colors and splendid sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hello Steve, perfect close-up shot of this plant with nice DOF/POV and composition.
TFS and greetings,
Deniz

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2008-11-26 14:04]

Hi Steve,
a love these plants!! The only time I've seen them is in a botanical garden but it must be even better to see them in the wild!
Great sharpness and clarity giving us a clear view of the "dew" on the tip of each frond :-)
Very good exposure.
Great colours.

Well done!!!
Joe

Superb colors Steve.
Excellent quality, exposure, clarity, & details within your DOF.
Another of natures small wonders,
Done very well I might add :)
Howard

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3002 W: 162 N: 991] (2901)
  • [2008-11-30 4:11]

Hello Steve,
Excellent illustration of this fascinating species of Drosera of which we have two in Sweden. They are hard to photograph as they grow in the wet bogs but you've managed very well here showing clearly the round leaves fringed by pretty drops of mucilage. Lovely natural colours too.
Many thanks and best wishes, Ulla

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