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Drosera atrostyla
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D. atrostyla at the type location near Romansrivier, WC, South Africa
D. atrostyla at the type location near Romansrivier, WC, South Africa
D. atrostyla at the type location near Romansrivier, WC, South Africa
The type location for D. atrostyla near Romansrivier, WC, South Africa
Species Information
Nomenclature: Drosera atrostyla Debbert
Publication: Debbert, P. (1992). “1991”]: Einige neue Arten der Gattungen Drosera (Droseraceae) und Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae). Mitt. Bot. Staatssamml. München, 30, 373-380. Link
Description: Acaulescent rosulate herb. A sessile rosette of oblong to oblanceolate leaves, green to bronze to reddish in color (but never deep red). Inflorescence emerging erect from the center of the rosette, glandular, and bearing usually 1 but up to 3 cream-colored flowers with green to black centers.
Distribution in South Africa: WC
Habitat: Restricted to seasonally moist Breede Alluvium Fynbos (E), Kouebokkeveld Alluvium Fynbos (CR), and Swartland Alluvium Fynbos (CR).
Conservation: Much of D. atrostyla's habitat has been lost to agriculture. There are three sites that are managed by CapeNature (two of which are private property), and one site on a privately owned and managed nature reserve. Extensive habitat loss, grazing, pollution, and trampling by livestock, combined with the threat of invasive species (especially Acacia or wattles) put Drosera atrostyla at risk.
Phenology: Drosera atrostyla emerges from summer dormancy with the onset of rains and cooler temperatures. It then flowers from July though September before its habitat dries.
Taxonomy & Variation: Because Debbert published in German and in relatively obscure journals, many of his species (such as D. liniflora, D. variegata, D. rubripetala, D. afra, and D. atrostyla) are not widely accepted. D. atrostyla is often referenced as a synonym of D. pauciflora. Based on my observations in situ, however, there is ample morphological and ecological evidence to support the validity of Drosera atrostyla as a species. At one location, D. atrostyla grows sympatrically with D. pauciflora without intermediates.
Plants from the west coast near Malmesbury, Darling, and Hopefield have also been called D. atrostyla. Here, they occur in Sand Fynbos rather than Alluvium Fynbos. In addition to this difference in habitat, differences in morphology provide some evidence that these plants represent an undescribed species rather than D. atrostyla.
Drosera atrostyla is known from a few sites near Romansrivier (type), Hermon, and the Koue Bokkeveld SE of Citrusdal.
Drosera atrostyla likely shares pollinators with any of the similar cream-colored flowers that grow sympatrically
The buds, freshly opened flowers, and spent flowers of D. atrostyla can appear yellow and are likely to blame for a mysterious yellow form of D. zeyheri that Eric Green wrote about.
Similar plants in sand fynbos on the West coast near Darling and Hopefield might represent a closely-related but undescribed species and are therefore excluded from the distribution map.
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