Drosera platystigma Species Profile

Drosera platystigma Species Profile

Drosera platystigma is an orange flowered pygmy sundew native to Western Australia. It is named after its broad stigmas (platys = broad).

Drosera platystigma has a flattened rosette of leaves that grows up to 2 cm in diameter. The leaves have relatively broad petioles that are usually olive green and laminae that are round and commonly tawny to brick red in colour. The flowers are metallic orange in colour with black centres and radiating black veins. The stigmas are egg-shaped with rounded extremities and tapering towards the connection with the styles. There are usually three stigmas although some forms have up to five. The styles and filaments that support the anthers are white in colour.

The species has a broad distribution from the swan coastal plain and east through the Wheatbelt towards Albany and Ravensthorpe. It grows in a broad range of substrates but is commonly observed in clayey and sandy soils that are often yellowish or mixed with laterite.

Drosera platystigma is distinguished from other orange flowered pygmy sundews in the first instance by its obovate (egg-shaped) stigmas that are borne on the end of long styles. This trait is shared with Drosera hyperostigma. The species is distinguished from D. hyperostigma by its white filaments and styles (those of D. hyperostigma are black).

Flowers of Drosera platystigma. Note the egg-shaped stigmas, white filaments and white styles.
The rosettes of Drosera platystigma. Notice the distinctively tawny colour.
Drosera platystigma near Manypeaks

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