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- Droseraceae
- Drosera
- Drosera intermedia
Drosera intermedia — spatulate-leaved sundew
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Facts
Sundews live in nutrient poor swamps and fens and are carnivorous. Research showed that spatulate-leaved sundews get about 50% of their nitrogen from insects they capture in the sticky hairs on their upper leaf surfaces.
Habitat
Bogs, fens (calcium-rich wetlands), shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Flower petal color
-
- pink to red
- white
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
- whorled: there are three or more leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
-
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are seven or more petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are six petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
-
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Stamen number
-
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- Stem nodes swollen
- the stem is not swollen at the nodes
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther attachment
- the anther is attached by its base to the filament
- Anther color
- the anthers show no hint of a pink, reddish or purplish tint
- Anther opening
- the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Anther tube length
- 0 mm
- Calyx growth after flowering
- the calyx does not grow to cover or partially cover the fruit
- Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
- Carpel hairs
- the carpels have no hairs
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused to one another
- Cilia on petals
- the petal margins do not have cilia
- Cleistogamous flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
- Corolla morphology
- NA
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
- Filament surface
- the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
- Flower appearance
- the flowers appear at the same time as the leaves
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
- Flower number
- 3–7
- Flower orientation
-
- the flower bends downwards or hangs downwards
- the flower points upwards or is angled outwards
- Flower petal color
-
- pink to red
- white
- Flower reproductive parts
- the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Form of style
- the style is lobed at the tip, and unbranched
- Fringed petal edges
- the petals are not fringed
- Fused stamen clusters
- NA
- Fusion of sepals and petals
-
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Hairs on flower stalk
- the flower stalk has no hairs on it
- Hairs on inflorescence
- the axis of the inflorescence has no hairs on it
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
- the flower does not have a hypanthium
- Hypanthium length
- 0 mm
- Inflorescence one-sided
- the flowers are all or nearly all arrayed on one side of the inflorescence axis or branches of the inflorescence
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
- Interior flower disk
- the flower does not have an interior disc
- Length of peduncle
-
- 20–30 mm
- 2–3 mm
- Marks on petals
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of branches in umbel
- 0
- Number of carpels
- 3
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
-
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are seven or more petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are six petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 2–5
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Perianth shape
- the perianth is another shape
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal and sepal colors
- white
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal base
- the petal narrows gradually or does not narrow at the base
- Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal length
- 3–6 mm
- Petal length relative to sepals
- the petals are longer than the sepals
- Petal nectaries
- the petals do not have nectaries
- Petal number
- 5
- Petal tip shape
- the petal tip is rounded
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Petal width
- 2–4 mm
- Raceme attachment (Veronica)
- NA
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- no
- Sepal and petal color
- the sepals are different from the petals
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals are green or brown, and leaf-like in texture
- Sepal appendages
- the sepals do not have appendages on them
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Sepal auricles
- the sepals have no auricles
- Sepal cilia
- the sepals do not have cilia
- Sepal color
- green to brown
- Sepal length
- 3–4 mm
- Sepal number
- 4–8
- Sepal orientation
- the sepals are slightly curved outwards from the corolla
- Sepal relative length
-
- the sepal lobes are approximately the same length as the fused portion
- the sepal lobes are longer than the fused portion
- Sepal shape
-
- the sepal outline is oblong (rectangular, but with rounded ends)
- the sepal outline is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Sepal texture
- the sepals are fleshy or spongy
- Sepal tip shape
-
- the sepal tip is acute (is sharply pointed)
- the sepal tip is obtuse (is bluntly pointed)
- Sepal uniformity
- all the sepals are about the same size
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their bases
- Spur length
- 0 mm
- Spur number
- NA
- Stamen appendages
- stamen appendages are absent
- Stamen attachment
- the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals
- Stamen lengths differ
- the stamens are all approximately the same length
- Stamen morphology
- the stamens within each cycle are the same
- Stamen number
-
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- Stamen position relative to petals
- the stamens are lined up with the sepals
- Stamen relative length
- anything
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not attached to one another
- Staminodes
- there are no staminodes on the flower
- Stigma position
- the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style
- Style petal-like
- the styles are not petal-like
- Style relative length
- the stigma does not protrude beyond the mouth of the corolla
- Surface of ovary
- the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- NA
- Achene shape
- NA
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- NA
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule ribs
- the capsule has three prominent ribs or wings
- Capsule splitting
- the capsule splits by three main valves, teeth or pores
- Carpel beak length
- 0 mm
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- NA
- Fruit beak length
- 0 mm
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is round in cross-section
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit length relative to sepals
- the fruit is about the same length as its associated sepals
- Fruit locules
- one
- Fruit shape
- the fruit is ovoid (egg-shaped)
- Fruit stalk orientation
- the fruits point upward or spread or curve outward
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- NA
- Ovary stipe
- the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
- Ovary stipe length
- 0 mm
- Placenta arrangement
- the plant has parietal placentation, where ovules develop on the wall or slight outgrowths of the wall forming broken partitions within a compound ovary
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Seed length
- 0.7–1 mm
- Seed number
- At least 3
- Seed relative length
- the seed is longer than it is wide
- Seed surface
- the seed is covered with short, round or cylindrical projections (papillae)
- Seeds comose
- no hairs
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
- the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Parasitism
-
- insectivorous
- the plant is not parasitic
- Plant color
- the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
- Plants darken when dry
- no
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
-
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
- the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms
-
Leaves
- Bracteole edges
- NA
- Bracteole length
- 0 mm
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracteole shape
- NA
- Bracteoles
- there are no bracteoles on the plant
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
- 0
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Hairs on leaf stalk
- the petiole has no hairs on it
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
- no
- Inflated hairs on leaf
- the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
- whorled: there are three or more leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade base symmetry
- the leaf blade base is symmetrical
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf blade flatness
- the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has hairs with glands at their tips
- Leaf blade length
- 5–25 mm
- Leaf blade primary vein pattern
- NA
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade texture
- the leaf blade has a fleshy or spongy texture
- Leaf blade vein pattern
- NA
- Leaf blade veins
- NA
- Leaf blade width
- 4–5 mm
- Leaf duration
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf form
- the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- Leaf hair orientation
- the hairs are standing up straight or curved in different directions
- Leaf shiny
- NA
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
- the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade
- Leaf stalk base
- the petiole base is narrow where it attaches to the stem
- Leaf stalk length
- 25–40 mm
- Leaf teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is rounded, with no point
- Leaf tufts in axils
- there are no clusters of smaller leaves growing out of axils
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf types
- NA
- Leaf variation
- NA
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Leaflet petiolules
- NA
- Leaves per node
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Stipels
- NA
- Stipule edges
- the stipule margins have teeth on them
- Stipule features
- NA
- Stipule fused to leaf stalk
-
- the stipules are fused to the petioles for some or most of their length
- the stipules are not fused to the petioles
- Stipule length
- 2–5 mm
- Stipule shape
- the stipules are another shape than the choices given
- Stipules
- the plant has stipules
- Teeth per side of leaf blade
- 0
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- bogs
- edges of wetlands
- fens (calcium-rich wetlands)
- shores of rivers or lakes
- swamps
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of a smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
- no
- Leaves on stem
- the flowering stem has no leaves above the base
- Plant height
- 1–8 cm
- Stem nodes swollen
- the stem is not swollen at the nodes
- Stem orientation
- the stems are upright or angled outwards
- Stem roughness between nodes
- the stem does not feel rough
- Stem spacing
- the plant is solitary, or a few plants are growing together
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
- Wings on stem
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
3. Drosera intermedia Hayne N
spatulate-leaved sundew. CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Bogs, fens, lake shores, river shore seeps.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Drosera rotundifolia:
- leaf blades as wide as or wider than long and petioles glandular-pubescent (vs. D. intermedia, with leaf blades obviously longer than wide and petioles without hairs).