Portuguese Sundew or Drosophyllum lusitanicum is a shrub-like carnivorous plant that can grow up to 1.5 m in height, but is usually shorter (about 40 cm). The genus name, Drosophyllum, is derived from the Greek "drosos" (meaning dew) and "phyllon" (meaning tribe or leaf). This name is a reference to the glittering droplets on the catch stalks.
The species name is derived from Lusitania, the ancient name for Portugal. In its native habitat, Drosophyllum is relatively rare, with plants growing in narrow coastal or maritime regions (to maximum a few tenths of kilometers from the coast) with regular morning fog during summer.
Besides Portugal, Drosophyllum can be found in Andalusia and in northern Morocco.
Portuguese Sundew is a very interesting and curious plant for several reasons. It has two types of glands on the leaves; the huge stalked glands - as shown on the image - that attract and trap prey and the sessile, digestive glands.
Compared with other carnivorous plants, it is one of the most successful ‘hunters’ in terms of quantity of captured prey, and all with the absolutely passive primitive adhesive traps (the stalked sticky glands).
Production of the mucilage for trapping prey is so intense that it often drips from the leaves. Digestion of prey is very rapid, being complete within several days. Luring is accomplished by the sweet, honey-like odor of the mucilage, detectable by the human nose.
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