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Drosera ramentacea
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D. ramentacea near Hermanus, WC, South Africa
D. ramentacea at Silvermine Nature Reserve, WC, South Africa
Flower of D. ramentacea from near Greyton
Typical steep, rocky habitat of D. ramentacea near Greyton
Species Information
Nomenclature: Drosera ramentacea Burch.
Publication:
Description:
Distribution in South Africa: WC
Habitat: Steep, rocky slopes in sandstone fynbos and never in wet places.
Conservation: Widespread and with many populations in protected places. Like other montane species in the cape, invasive species (especially pines) and climate change threaten this species.
Phenology: Flowers during the warmer months from October through January. During the coldest months, this species forms a winter resting bud.
Taxonomy & Variation: Drosera ramentacea is variable across its wide distribution. Individuals from the Cape Peninsula, Hottentots-Holland, and the Kleinrivier Mountains are relatively robust and velvety in appearance. Spindly and near-glabrous individuals are common in the Riviersonderend Mtns. Individuals from the Hawequas have the widest leaves, and those from Groenlandberg are the hairiest. I have not visited the populations in the Langeberg, but based on available photos, these are most similar to the populations, in spite of being geographically closest to the Riviersonderend. It's doubtful that any of these variations are taxonomically relevant- the habitats and floral morphologies are consistent between populations.
Drosera ramentacea in South Africa
Plants from the Riviersonderend Mtns differ from other populations in that the adaxial (upper) leaf surfaces are glabrous. The leaves of these plants are also significantly thinner than others.
Individuals from the Hawequa Mountains have distinctly wide, eliptical laminas.
The Groenlandberg population is especially hairy
In the absence of fire, long stems form over time and allow the plants to climb vegetation
The consistently forked or bifurcated inflorescences of D. ramentacea make it easily distinguishable from other species.
D. ramentacea is frequently confused with D. capensis. Aside from differing habitats, you can easily distinguish the two by looking at the furrow of the leaf base, which is arch-like and curves upward in D. ramentacea (top) and u-shaped or curves downward in D. capensis (bottom).
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