Drosera pauciflora
Few-Flowered Sundew

Drosera pauciflora is a beautiful, small winter-growing sundew from low-lying areas of the Cape. Distributed West of the line between Grabouw and Citrusdal, this species is typically found at lower elevations although a few hillside populations with rounder leaves exist. It grows as a flat rosette with broad, green leaves tipped with a flourish of enormous triangular snap tentacles. The abaxial leaf surface has numerous veins and a coating of bristly white hairs. As the name implies this species is not particularly floriferous making 1-3 flowers on a medium-length inflorescence. Flower colours include white, pink, lavender, and grades thereof. Typically these are large, around 3-4cm but sometimes larger!
D. pauciflora inhabits both fynbos and renosterveld vegetation types and is part of the geophytic winter-grower group, with all above-ground growth dying off after seed set, spending dormancy as thick roots underground. This species appears to flower and go dormant a little earlier than other winter-growers, perhaps due to the dry nature of some lowland and renosterveld habitats.