Drosera (sundews)

Aim: Phylogenomics Stage 2
Project initiation: Aug 2021
Project lead:  Michelle Waycott | University of Adelaide and State Herbarium of South Australia

Reproduced with permission from Michelle Waycott

Project description:

Members of the genus Drosera (sundews): Sundews (Drosera spp. Droseraceae:Caryophyllales) are a globally distributed group of ‘flypaper trap’ carnivorous plants that are most diverse within the southern hemisphere, particularly in Australia, South Africa and South America. Members of the Droseraceae Aldrovanda, Dionaea and Drosera form a monophyletic group within the Caryophyllales, sister to Nepenthaceae.

Currently there are more than 200 species of Drosera recognised world wide, the taxonomic diversity in flux due to diverse options about species concepts and taxon characters. Australia has the majority of species, in particular the South-West of WA, more than 130 species, occur here. We have the majority of specimens already available.