I’ve been watching the buds on the tiny Scented Sundew plants grow over the last week or so, and today I’ve had the good fortune to see the first flowers of the season. Consisting of five white petals and stamens tipped in a clear yellow, these flowers are the definition of simple beauty.
The leaves of the plants are covered with sticky hairs to catch insects – Scented Sundews are insectivorous plants.
Since I wrote a post about Scented Sundews in August of last year, I’ve acquired a new field guide Flora of the Otway Plain and Ranges 2 by Enid Mayfield, which solves the puzzle of the red vs green leaves I wrote about then. According to Mayfield, the leaves go red with age. So the plants with red leaves ARE the same species, but just a bit older than the plants with green leaves. It feels good to finally know the answer!
The flower itself is about the size of an Australian dollar coin. The botanical name, Drosera reflects the sticky liquid on the hairs. Drosera means dewy. Enid Mayfield states that the Scented Sundew grows from a tuber or a vertical rhizome.
Also, I finally feel like I am beginning to master the Macro lens – the first photograph was taken with the Macro, and the second photograph was taken with my standard lens.
Fifteen Acres 
Lovely!
Hi Lisa,
Yes, it is such a beautiful flower! Loved also the shape and configuration of the leaves, with the traps for the insects. I have two comments: a) You always go the extra mile to bring to us the best scientific information available. Thank you! b) Loved the composition of photo #2! Everything seems to be in the right place – you kind of chose a natural canvas, and frame, to show this beautiful flower. Thanks so much! Take care. 🙂
Thanks Fabio, yes, I was rather pleased with the composition of the second shot, I must admit. I tend to frame things according to what seems right at the time, but I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it. Usually an angle will just seem right and I analyse it later. Thanks for your comments. Lisa
Hi Lisa, I try to do the same in regard to the composition. Yes, it is a pleasure to go back to the computer and choose the nicest compositions. :). Great job, as always! I am learning so much from the Fifteen Acres and from their caretaker! Thanks much! Have a great day! 🙂
Brillant clarity on these photos
Thank you – I have taken more photographs of the Scented Sundews since then, and every time they surprise me with their striking shapes and colours – and the purity of those white petals. Lisa