Ontario Wildflowers website

Round-leaved Sundew
Drosera rotundifolia

Other common names: Roundleaf Sundew

Family: Sundew Family (Droseraceae)

Group: Sundews

Distinctive features: Sticky round leaves. Tiny plants of bogs.

Similar species:
  •   Spatulate-leaved Sundew (Drosera intermedia) - leaves longer, not round except at end, like a spatula.

  •   Linear-leaved Sundew (Drosera linearis) - leaves long and narrow.


Flowers: Summer;  White;  5 parts (petals);  White, very small. Only open in the sunshine. Five petals. Late summer.

Leaves: Round at the end of sticky stalks, lined with long sticky hairs that entrap insects.

Height: Very small and low to the ground.

Habitat: Wet Areas;  Bogs, full sun.

Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 174    Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers: 20, 232    ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario: 247   

Native/Non-native: Native

Status: common in bogs.

Origin and Meaning of Names:
 Scientific Name: rotundifolia: round-leaved


Photographs: 327 photographs available, of which 11 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page
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Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

Round-leaved Sundew in a bog, with other bog environment plants.

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

An overall view of the whole plant.

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

They're sometimes hard to spot when they're buried down among other bog vegetation.

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

A single leaf, showing clearly the sticky hairs that entrap insects.

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

A close-up view of a Round-leaved Sundew leaf. Note the blobs of sticky stuff at the end of each hair. Small insects don't stand a chance!

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

Flower stalk as it grows and uncurls.

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

Round-leaved Sundew flower about to open.

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

Opened flower.

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

This tiny flower was devilishly hard to photograph! The tiny size was one reason. The white colour was another.
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Range map for Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)