Drosera rotundifolia

Overview

Kew accepts Drosera rotundifolia in the family Droseraceae, order Caryophyllales. The name was first published in Species Plantarum in 1753. Its native range covers temperate and subarctic northern regions, with some southern outliers, and explicitly includes Greece.

At Cwm Idwal National Nature Reserve in Wales, it grows alongside butterwort. Heavy rain and water flowing through acidic soil leave few minerals available. The plant therefore traps and digests small insects to supply minerals for growth, flowering and seed production. Natural Resources Wales surveys the reserve's vegetation every five years.

Millett and colleagues (2012) used stable isotopes to study plants on three Swedish ombrotrophic bogs. Prey supplied about 57% of plant nitrogen at the site with the lowest atmospheric deposition. The figures were 22% and 33% at the intermediate and highest sites. The results suggest that the balance between carnivory and root uptake shifts with nutrient supply.

Origins & earliest records

The 1753 date records the naming of the species, not its evolutionary origin.

Evidence & interpretation

A reserve account, a 2012 stable-isotope study and a Kew POWO record.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Carnivorous Plants

   Cwm Idwal National Nature Reserve · n.d.

   Selected bibliography; reserve account.

2. 02

   Reliance on prey-derived nitrogen by the carnivorous plant Drosera rotundifolia decreases with increasing nitrogen deposition

   Millett et al. · 2012

   Selected bibliography; stable-isotope nutrition study.

3. 03

   Drosera rotundifolia L.

   · n.d.

   Selected bibliography; Kew POWO taxonomic record.

Family, evolution & connections

Taxonomic classification

A hierarchy of classified groups, not a chain of direct ancestors.

Source note: Order and family placement follow Kew POWO.

1. OrderCaryophyllales
2. FamilyDroseraceae

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Institutional accountCarnivorous PlantsResearch access: 2026-10-06
2. Peer-reviewed articleReliance on prey-derived nitrogen by the carnivorous plant Drosera rotundifolia decreases with increasing nitrogen depositionResearch access: 2026-10-06
3. Taxonomic databaseDrosera rotundifolia L.Research access: 2026-10-06

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.