Abstract

Drosera xerophila A. Fleischm., a new species of sundew from Overberg District, Western Cape Province, South Africa, is described and illustrated together with details on its distribution, ecology, habitats and conservation status. The new species is morphologically compared with presumably closely related taxa. An identification key and synopsis are provided for all rosetted hemicryptophyte (”perennially growing”) Drosera species of the SW part of Western Cape Province, with synonymy, types, distribution (including maps) and citation of specimens and georeferenced photographs. The names D. aliciae Raym.-Hamet, D. curviscapa T. M. Salter and D. curviscapa var. esterhuyseniae T. M. Salter are lectotypified.

Highlights

  • The genus Drosera L. (Droseraceae, Nepenthales or noncore Caryophyllales) comprises c. 250 species of carnivorous herbs commonly referred to as sundews, which catch small invertebrate prey by means of adhesive flypaper traps formed by their tentacle-bearing leaves

  • The mountain ranges of the Overberg District, Western Cape Province, South Africa, which range from Fransch­ hoek to Kleinmond host the highest plant biodiversity and highest number of species endemism of the Cape Floristic Region, in a unique but threatened vegetation type referred to as the Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos (Rebelo & al. 2006; Mucina & Rutherford 2006)

  • Careful dissection of a single leaf from the rosette is recommended for all rosetted Drosera, this can sometimes be difficult in brittle herbarium material

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Summary

Introduction

The genus Drosera L. (Droseraceae, Nepenthales or noncore Caryophyllales) comprises c. 250 species of carnivorous herbs commonly referred to as sundews, which catch small invertebrate prey by means of adhesive flypaper traps formed by their tentacle-bearing leaves. There are four centres of species diversity (hosting more than 20 species) in the genus, which are all situated in the S hemisphere: the SW part of Western Australia, tropical N Australia, the SC Brazilian highlands and the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. The mountain ranges of the Overberg District, Western Cape Province, South Africa, which range from Fransch­ hoek to Kleinmond (covering Hottentots Holland Mountains and Kogelberg Mountains) host the highest plant biodiversity and highest number of species endemism of the Cape Floristic Region, in a unique but threatened vegetation type referred to as the Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos 2006; Mucina & Rutherford 2006) These mountains are the centre of diversity of the genus Drosera in the Cape, with at least 14 species, of which four are endemic to the region. A floristically very similar vegetation type within the Fynbos Biome, the Overberg Sand-

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