Drosera menziesiiCommon name: Pink Rainbow
Meaning of name: Drosera is from the Greek word droseros, meaning dewy. It refers to the prominent glandular hairs which give the appearance of being covered in dew. Menziesii is named after Archibald Menzies, surgeon-naturalist on the Discovery expedition (1791 – 1795) under the navigator George Vancouver.
Distribution: Occurs from north of Perth to east of Esperance.
Description: An erect plant to 25 centimetres which can use other plants for support. The pink flowers are borne from August to November.
Notes: Drosera are carnivorous and supplement their diet by trapping and digesting insects. The insects are caught on the sticky leaf surfaces and digested by enzymes produced by the plant.
References: Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings, a Glossary. FA Sharr. 1996.
Flora of the Perth Region. NG Marchant, JR Wheeler, BL Rye, EM Bennett, NS Lander, TD Macfarlane. 1987.
Carnivorous Plants of Australia Volume 1. Allen Lowrie. 1987.
Without flowers, this erect or scrambling herb is easily overlooked in the bush.
This leaf has caught a mosquito.
