Appearance
"Drosera peltata" is a perennial tuberous herb. Its underground tuber is generally found 4 – 6 cm under the soil surface, and its aerial parts range from 5 – 50 cm in height, with wide differentiation into several forms. The subspecies "D. peltata" subsp. "auriculata" is often the most robust, reaching up to 50 cm in height, whereas the form known informally as "D. foliosa" tends to be the shortest, often only 5–10 cm."Drosera peltata" generally has an evident rosette of leaves at the soil surface, which is most pronounced in "D. foliosa" and in contrast often reduced to scales in mature plants of "D. peltata" subsp. "auriculata". The aerial stem is simple or slightly branched in the nominal form of "D. peltata", as well as in "D. peltata" subsp. "auriculata", and the form informally known as "D. gracilis". Flowers are variable in color, but generally white or light pink. The colour of the plants is also highly variable, with "D. foliosa" generally bright grass green even when growing in direct sunlight, "D. peltata" subsp. "auriculata" often tinged with variable amounts of red, and "D. gracilis" always orange or dark red colour.
Naming
The specific epithet is Latin for "shield shaped", a reference to the shape of the cauline leaves. It is either a single extremely variable species, or a complex of several closely related species of uncertain taxonomic boundaries. In Australia at least four forms have had or still have specific taxonomic recognition: "Drosera peltata" subsp. "peltata", "D. peltata" subsp. "auriculata", "D. foliosa" and "D. gracilis".
Distribution
"Drosera peltata" is commonly found growing on frost free open flats with light scrub, in areas of regenerating forest, on grassy verges and roadside cuttings. The soil type these plants are found in is mainly soft fine clay or peaty, sand soils, which, while wet in winter, dry out over summer. This species has a large range and various forms occur naturally in southern, eastern and south-west Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand as well as south-east Asia and India.References:
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