Drosera auriculata is one of New Zealand's two species of cormous (producing corms) sundew. It is found throughout the North Island and northern tip of the South Island, below 700m.
Insects are attracted to the droplets of sticky fluid, that the plant puts out, and become stuck. The hairs then slowly bend inwards until the whole leaf has folded over the insect. Chemicals released from the hairs digest the insect’s body, and nutrients are taken into the plant. It is found in peatlands and poor sandy, clay soils and clay banks that are wet in winter but dry out in summer. Within a month or so of flowering the plant withers and turns black. The plant is now resting several centimetres below the surface as a dormant corm. The corm can withstand the dry soil through the summer until autumn rains bring it back to life again. These photos were taken mid August, which would be late in its season. |