Botanical Family · Caryophyllales

Droseraceae

Sundew Family

3 speciesOrder Caryophyllales3+ well-known plants

The Droseraceae family (Sundew Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Caryophyllales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 3 species. Its members are predominantly herbs. Several members are valued in traditional medicine. Familiar examples include Tropical Sundew and Shield Sundew.

Browse all 3 species ↓

Representative specimen · Droseraceae

Key pattern

Leaves covered in glistening, sticky-tipped glandular hairs that curl inward to trap and digest small insects landing on the glue-like droplets; regular, five-petalled flowers are held on a leafless stalk well clear of the sticky leaf traps below.

One of the plant kingdom's most active carnivores — the glandular hairs not only glue insects in place but visibly curl inward around trapped prey within minutes, drawing it toward the leaf's centre to digest.

Identify the species

Which Droseraceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Droseraceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan

Leaf ShapeWhat is the overall shape of the leaf blade?

Linear

Orbicular

Peltate (shield-shaped, stalk attaches at center)

Family identification method

To check whether a plant belongs to Droseraceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.

Learn the full family-identification method

Typical leaf characters

ArrangementAlternate
TypeVariable
MarginVariable
VenationVariable

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Notable members

Tropical SundewDrosera burmanniShield SundewDrosera indicaShield SundewDrosera peltata

Families that can look similar

Cactaceae

Compare against Cactaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Cactaceae

Polygonaceae

Compare against Polygonaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Polygonaceae

Nepenthaceae

Compare against Nepenthaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Nepenthaceae

Amaranthaceae

Compare against Amaranthaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Amaranthaceae

All 3 species in DROSERACEAE

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