Range: New Caledonia, Main Island

 

An interesting tropical misfit sundew named after its place of origin, the New Caledonia sundew is an endemic to the island of its name where it grows primarily on the southern half in sandy peat-based soils along seepages as well as underground-watered laterite gravel sites in conditions anywhere from nearly dry to flooded, at elevations from 0-1000 meters. Plants can reach nearly 9 cm in diameter though average around 6, with a semi-erect rosette of narrow, linear-spatulate leaves. The petioles comprise up to 75% of the leaf length, and are parallel and narrow with a distinct indumentum of spiny-looking white hairs; the lamina are oblong to obovate and often have a curve in them. Color is typically bright green with crimson tentacles, occasionally a flush of yellow or red in the lamina; leaves rarely turn heavily red. Inflorescences may reach 25 cm in height, bearing an indumentum of white hairs at the base similar to the leaves but sparsely covered in red glands along most of its length, and may bear up to 20 blooms. The flowers are large relative to the plant, nearly 1.5 cm in diameter on average, with roughly ovate to almost scutulate (diamond-shaped petals) that appear white but (in personal observation) can be mildly tinted yellow especially before opening and after close. The narrow upright leaves and spiny hairs as well as its unusually large yellow-tinted flowers are distinctive traits that separate it from close relatives like D. spatulata, D. ultramafica, or D. oblanceolata.

 

Cultivation: grow in a 2:1 perlite/peat mix or laterite sand and peat, kept very moist and humid, with temps of 55-90°F, year round, cooler at night (adjust to suit your specific conditions). Sow seeds on soil surface, and grow in strong artificial light to full sun.

 

Lifespan and reproduction: perennial. Reproduces through seed and root propagules (rare), and can be grown through leaf or root cuttings and division.

 

Sources: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54570222#page/6/mode/1up

https://www.carnivorousjourney.com/feed/species-profile-drosera-neocaledonica