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by puddingned94 on May 08, 2006 04:40 AM
how exactualy do sundews catch prey don't they roll up
by margaret e. pell on May 09, 2006 04:31 AM
Sundews eat small things. If you look really closely at the leaves, you'll see sticky glands on tiny stalks. These do move and wrap aroung the prey. Some sundews with very long, thin leaves do bend their leaves over their prey.
www.ifdn.com/unique/wiggins/activity.htm
http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week255.shtml

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may God bless the WHOLE world!
by Aaron D on May 12, 2006 06:11 AM
it is very interesting watching sundews catch their prey... sundew leaves have a dense layer of glandular trichomes covering their leaves these trichomes are set top very fine hair like stalks... the tiny knob-like tip of the gland usually colored red depending on the species... secrets a crystal-clear glue... that looks like a droplet of water, the glue also smells sweet to insects. obviously the prey becomes insnared on the "glue"... i have to mention these plants are very efficiant because the "glue" is also a surficant... slowly spreading and making a thin layer of glue around the prey suffocating it... depending on the species, the wrapping process can take a day or a few seconds... [Smile] [Smile] the south african Drosera Paucifolia is the fastest!!! this wrapping process is to maximize contact area for faster "digestion". you will notice that during the "wrapping process" the neighboring trichomes will literally bend over to press the prey AGAINST the surface to the leaf to absorb the "HIGH-NITROGEN soup"... so the hair-like trichomes do all the grabbing and killing as well as the "digesting" and the leaf which has smaller microscopic trichomes does all the sucking up of the juices...

let me know if you have any more questions

--AARON
by TomR on May 14, 2006 04:03 AM
I love Sundews! I have 2 D. adelae that are good at catching fungus gnats!

Tom

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My memory's not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
by Aaron D on May 15, 2006 03:36 PM
your right D. adelae which is an Australian sundew is literally a weed!!! a much invited one in my collection too!!! [Smile] [Smile] [Smile] its amazing how reproductive its wiry roots are!!!
by puddingned94 on May 26, 2006 08:21 AM
I have a Drosera Sp. what whould that do

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