A tiny "Sundew"

This little plant is called Drosera Rotundifloria or "sundew". It grows in some sphagnum moss in a boggy peaty area on the hill beside my house. I wanted to try out the camera and also wanted to show L what it looks like after a lovely discussion we had the other day about maneating plants!! . The entire plant was no more than two centimetres across so I think the camera did its job!

It is a carnivorous plant and each of it's tendrils has a sticky dewy droplet which attracts insects. When it senses one it closes in trapping it. It developed because it couldn't get enough nutrients from the area it lives in and so supplements them with digested insects!! Lovely!

Apparently the dew was thought to have anti-aging properties and to be a source of virility. I t has also been used as a love charm. Who knew?? I'll store that info away for future use!!!!