About
Also known as Tracy's sundew, *Drosera filiformis* is a small, perennial herb notable for its unique, thread-like leaves that unroll in spirals, resembling the circinate vernation seen in ferns.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant features long, erect, filiform (thread-like) leaves that unroll in spirals, forming a rosette-like habit.
Distribution & habitat
Naturally found along the eastern seaboard of North America, ranging from south western Nova Scotia down through New England to Florida, and also on the Gulf Coast from Florida to Louisiana.
Cultivation notes
Requires mineral-poor soil and distilled, reverse osmosis, or collected rain water, and needs a winter dormancy period to survive long-term.
History & etymology
The article mentions the infraspecific taxon *Drosera filiformis f. tracyi* and *Drosera filiformis var. tracyi*, suggesting a connection to the name 'Tracy's' but provides no specific discovery date or describer for the main species.
Conservation
It is a Schedule 1–listed endangered species of Canada under the Species at Risk Act, though it is considered range-wide to be of 'least concern' by the IUCN. Threats include development, peat mining, and competition from shrubs.
Habitat
- Altitude
- —
- Altitude Class
- —
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
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