Drosera viridis
Encyclopedia
Drosera viridis is a semi-erect or rosetted
perennial
species in the carnivorous plant
genus Drosera. It is known only from Brazil
, being found in eastern Paraná
and São Paulo
and central Santa Catarina
at elevations from 550–1100 m (1,804.5–3,608.9 ft). It may, however, also be found in adjacent Argentina
, Paraguay
, and Uruguay
. It typically grows in waterlogged habitats among grasses in white-clayey, reddish lateritic
, or humus-rich black-brown soils and is sometimes found submerged with only the leaves above water.
Drosera viridis produces carnivorous leaves that are spatulate
, about 5 to 28 mm long, and entirely green, even when exposed to full sun, unlike the related D. communis whose leaves turn red in full sunlight. Each plant produces one to three erect or ascending inflorescence
s, which are 7.5–30 cm (3–11.8 in) long, including the scape
. Each inflorescence bears two to twelve light to dark lilac-colored flowers. It can be found flowering year-round, though more plants are in flower during the wet season from December to March. This species has a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 20.
Drosera viridis is closely related to D. communis and often occurs in the same regions with it, but D. viridis is restricted to a more narrow range of wet habitats. Where D. viridis and D. communis are sympatric
, a few specimens have been found that may be hybrids, though they were weak, indicating that the resulting hybrid cross between these two is rare, infertile, and may not reach maturity.
This species was first described by botanist Fernando Rivadavia in a 2003 issue of the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter
, along with three other new Drosera species from Brazil. The type specimen
was collected by Rivadavia and M. R. F. Cardoso on 2 February 1996. Other specimens were grown under greenhouse conditions for further observation. Rivadavia chose the specific epithet viridis to refer to the green color of the plants even when exposed to full sun.
Rosette (botany)
In botany, a rosette is a circular arrangement of leaves, with all the leaves at a single height.Though rosettes usually sit near the soil, their structure is an example of a modified stem.-Function:...
perennial
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
species in the carnivorous plant
Carnivorous plant
Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants appear adapted to grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients, especially nitrogen, such as acidic...
genus Drosera. It is known only from Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, being found in eastern Paraná
Paraná (state)
Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...
and São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
and central Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina (state)
Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by...
at elevations from 550–1100 m (1,804.5–3,608.9 ft). It may, however, also be found in adjacent Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. It typically grows in waterlogged habitats among grasses in white-clayey, reddish lateritic
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
, or humus-rich black-brown soils and is sometimes found submerged with only the leaves above water.
Drosera viridis produces carnivorous leaves that are spatulate
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
, about 5 to 28 mm long, and entirely green, even when exposed to full sun, unlike the related D. communis whose leaves turn red in full sunlight. Each plant produces one to three erect or ascending inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s, which are 7.5–30 cm (3–11.8 in) long, including the scape
Scape (botany)
In botany, scapes are leafless flowering stems that rise from the ground. Scapes can have a single flower or many flowers, depending on the species....
. Each inflorescence bears two to twelve light to dark lilac-colored flowers. It can be found flowering year-round, though more plants are in flower during the wet season from December to March. This species has a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 20.
Drosera viridis is closely related to D. communis and often occurs in the same regions with it, but D. viridis is restricted to a more narrow range of wet habitats. Where D. viridis and D. communis are sympatric
Sympatry
In biology, two species or populations are considered sympatric when they exist in the same geographic area and thus regularly encounter one another. An initially-interbreeding population that splits into two or more distinct species sharing a common range exemplifies sympatric speciation...
, a few specimens have been found that may be hybrids, though they were weak, indicating that the resulting hybrid cross between these two is rare, infertile, and may not reach maturity.
This species was first described by botanist Fernando Rivadavia in a 2003 issue of the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter
Carnivorous Plant Newsletter
The Carnivorous Plant Newsletter is the official publication of the International Carnivorous Plant Society , the largest such organization in the world.-History and editorship:...
, along with three other new Drosera species from Brazil. The type specimen
Biological type
In biology, a type is one particular specimen of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached...
was collected by Rivadavia and M. R. F. Cardoso on 2 February 1996. Other specimens were grown under greenhouse conditions for further observation. Rivadavia chose the specific epithet viridis to refer to the green color of the plants even when exposed to full sun.
See also
- List of Drosera species
- Taxonomy of Drosera