Drosera capensis
{Bainskloof, South Africa}
Plants
Drosera capensis from this location is an uncommon form in cultivation. It's native to the Bainskloofpas between Wellington and Ceres in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
Etymology: Drosera from Greek droseros ‘dewy’1. Capensis means 'from Cape'2. Bainskloof is the name of the mountain pass where this form is found.
This form of D. capensis is genetically quite different from the normal form. The plant grows a lot stockier and forms a thick stem over time. The leaves are a lot broader as well. The petiole has an extended edge, which is 2-3 times broader than normal D. capensis and the leaf lamina is about 2-3 times broader. The lamina also features a somewhat oval shape, where it's broader in the middle than the top and bottom parts. Unlike the wide or broadleaf form of D. capensis, the trait of this form is genetically stable.
Flowers
With continual feeding, it took my plants about 6 months to start producing flowers from seed. This also includes them being grown during the winter without additional lights, so a spring sowing will probably yield even earlier flowers. Some growers have reported that the plants are relatively difficult to get to flower, probably with little feeding. The first flower stalk of every plant has died in my collection.
Seeds
The seeds of D. capensis 'Bainskloof' are a lot heftier than normal capensis seeds. They have pointy ends, instead of the flat ends that normal D. capensis has. The pattern on the seed is clearly stretched out compared to D. capensis.
