Sundew

[Lobo]

This facinating plant is an Insectivororous plant that grows mainly in ascidic soils, it secretes small droplets of liquid on the tenticals of the petals which attracts insects.
Once the insect touches the liquid it's trapped then the leaf slowly folds and digests it.
The plant throws a single flower up high away from the sticky petals to enable the insects a bit of saftey for pollination purposes.
Around the 12th century these plants were used by herbalists to cure coughs sunburn and to prevent freccles, it is still used today with other ingredients in asthma and bronchitis medicines.
In the Highlands they used to make a drink from it.
I find these plants in boggy and marshy parts of the New Forest and allways look to see whats been on the previous days menu.
Rob

[Steven Gourlay]

Hmm don't want one of them to digest me. Good to get some information about the plants, the new forest sounds lovely.