Range: New Zealand and Antipodes islands

 

A beautiful and strange alpine sundew, this plant is the only endemic to New Zealand and the subantarctic islands considered their territories. It is the second southernmost sundew on the planet, being beaten out only by the related D. uniflora in Tierra del Fuego, and is found throughout the alpine areas of New Zealand’s mountains, down to sea level in places like Campbell island, inhabiting mossy or peaty bogs and streamsides where temperatures can drop well below freezing in winter. Spring rosettes are flat and rarely exceed 2 cm in diameter, with short, broad parallel petioles and rounded lamina. Summer leaves form erect rosettes up to 6 cm across, 3 cm tall, with longer parallel petioles with a u-shaped cross-section comprising up to ¾ the leaf length and more elongate obovate lamina that often curl inward. Color ranges from green with red tentacles to solid red, often an orangeish color. Inflorescences are relatively short, only around 5-6 cm tall, thick and glabrous, and support a single bud. Blooms may be up to 1.5 cm in diameter, with oddly broad, round-ended sepals and round, white petals. Unlikely to be confused with any other species within its range, this species differs from the South American D. uniflora in its summer rosette of upright leaves, taller inflorescence, and more fused sepals.

 

Cultivation: grow in a pot of pure sphagnum, kept very moist to wet and humid, with temps never rising above 65°F in summer if possible. In winter, once plants show signs of dormancy, place the plants in a very cold location for 4-7 months; if plants are subjected to freezing weather or especially covered in snow this may be most effective. Sow seeds on soil surface, and give an 8 week freezing stratification. Grow in strong artificial light to full sun. This plant is extremely difficult to grow, and success is very difficult to achieve.

 

Lifespan and reproduction: perennial. Reproduces through seed, and can be grown through leaf cuttings.

 

Sources: https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/drosera-stenopetala/ under license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

https://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?/topic/31090-drosera-stenopetala-and-d-uniflora/

https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/drosera-stenopetala/