Қабылан гүлі (Qabylan gúli)

Species of carnivorous plant

Drosera capensis, commonly known as the Cape sundew, is a small rosette forming carnivorous species of perennial sundew native to the Cape in South Africa. Because of its size, easy to grow nature, and the copious amounts of seed it produces, it has become one of the most common sundews in cultivation, and thus, one of the most frequently introduced and naturalised invasive Drosera species.

D. capensis produces strap like leaves, up to long (not including the petiole) and wide, which, as in all sundews, are covered in brightly coloured tentacles which secrete a sticky mucilage that traps arthropods. It is a perennial, herbaceous plant that forms a rosette with a diameter of and is characterized by numerous, reddish glandular erosions on long and wide, elongated leaves. The plant flowers in summer (December and January in its native habitat in South Africa) with up to fifty pale violet, over large flowers, borne on up to high racemose inflorescences. The flowers can self pollinate upon closing and produce copious quantities of very small, spindle shaped seeds, which are released from the capsules that form when the flowers have died. The plant thrives in full sun locations on nutrient poor, waterlogged and lime free soils.

Drosera capture insects by luring them with their glossy, magenta hued beads of false "nectar" (seen covering the tentacles of healthy leaves); this nectar is, of course, merely sticky droplets made up of digestive enzymes. The secretions act as a visual attractant to nearby insects, as it shines in the sun (hence the common name of sundew). Furthermore, when Drosera plants come into bloom, the flowers themselves bring more potential prey to the vicinity of the plant. At first, when a prey item such as an insect, is stuck to a Drosera leaf, it may find itself deeply trapped, right away, or only partly stuck (based on the angle of its initial landing); if not fully stuck, the movements of the prey trying to wriggle free will often trigger the leaf tip to fold back onto itself to ensure the bug cannot escape. However, this does not always occur; the insect may simply remain stuck to (and ultimately digested on) an open leaf. The action itself is comparable to a person extending one arm outwards, and rolling their hand back, much like a "bicep curl". Not only does this action serve to further secure the sundew’s victim, but it allows for more leaf surface area (and thus, digestive enzymes) to come into contact with the prey, ensuring digestion. Once the prey is fully trapped, initial breakdown often begins within an hour; wriggling or attempting to escape will only trap the insect further. Digestion takes well over six hours from the time of an insect's initial landing. If a prey organism has been caught in the secretion of the tentacles, then the tentacles near the victim will bend towards it, until a portion of the tentacle covered region of the leaf has wrapped around the animal. Secreted enzymes will digest the insect until only the chitin remains. The absorption of nutrients takes place via the tentacle tips, where the secretion itself is produced. When the prey item is decomposed enough that the plant cannot gain further nutrients, the leaf and the tentacles return to their original position. Drosera capensis has two color forms: red tentacled and white tentacled. It has been hypothesized that visual cues, such as tentacle coloration, could be a factor in prey attraction in carnivorous plants, in addition to the olfactory signals used. In prey attractant experiments, Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies were introduced to the red and white colored forms of D. capensi in the laboratory. The D. melanogaster seemed to have no preference for color of plant tentacles, as there was no difference in the mean number of the flies captured between the two forms of the sundew. Coloration in D. capensis is due to anthocyanin pigment – or the lack of – and does not affect the ultraviolet (UV) coloration of the plant. It is the UV coloration which, along with olfactory signals, appears to important in attracting prey. Increased photosynthesis was observed in plants fed with fruit flies.

In early summer or late spring, D. capensis produces multiple, small, five petaled pink flowers at the end of scapes which can be up to tall. The typical form is noted for wider leaves and the gradual production of a scrambling stem as it grows. The "wide leaved" form is similar to the "typical" variety, but produces leaves at least 50 percent wider than the typical variety. The narrow leaved form differs from the typical form in that it rarely produces tall stems; has thinner, longer leaves and less hair on the plant. Drosera capensis 'Albino', is also similar in shape to the "typical" form, but lacks most of the red pigmentation of the typical or narrow forms, with clear or pink trichomes and white flowers. There is also the "red" form that turns blood red in full sunlight, and is also similar physically to the narrow leaved form. These varieties are commercially available. Drosera capensis can be easily propagated through a variety of methods including seed, leaf cuttings, and root cuttings. It is not easily killed by temperature extremes of a short duration and is a generally forgiving plant to grow. Additionally, D. capensis does not undergo dormancy like some sundews. It is among the easiest of carnivorous plants to keep indoors. It grows very well in open air, on a sunny windowsill, as long as it is kept in an inch or two of mineral free water. Drosera capensis have also been found in Australia. Currently it has only been found in New South Wales but understanding the species distribution is essential to managing the species in the future. It has also been found in the state of California and classified as a naturalized weed. Alongside Australia, California and New Zealand, Drosera capensis have also been found in peat bogs in South America. It is currently classified as an invasive species.