Round-leaved sundew
Drosera rotundifolia
Family: Droseraceae
Fire effect on plant
Round-leaved sundew plants are likely killed by even low-severity fires (Matthews 1994).
Key traits
This short-lived, shade-intolerant, insectivorous forb has a shallow root system (<6 cm) and a short-lived taproot. It overwinters as a hibernaculum (tightly rolled leaf primordia).
Sundews reproduce vegetatively or by seed. Seed banks are persistent and can survive fire. This species colonizes recently burned peat surfaces from seed (Schnell 1976; Crowder 1990). Seeds tend to be dispersed <1 m (Lososová et al. 2023).
Sundews may be able to avoid fire which can be patchy in their boggy habitat. Round-leaf Sundew may survive in unburned microsites.
Plant response to fire
Winter fires have been found to increase seedling density and establishment of sundews (Brewer 1999). Seedling mortality after emergence has been noted in sites that have not been burned (Brewer 1999). Round-leaved sundew frequency also appeared to remain relatively stable in the five summers after a late March wildfire in a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) woodland in Scotland in 1974 (Sykes and Horril 1981).
It has been suggested that fire plays a critical role in the life cycle of Sundews, where they benefit from the removal of overstory and dense litter, being shade intolerant. Brewer (1999) argues that increased seedling establishment following fire in Sundews is an adaptive response to fire.
Timing of life history
Perennial species. Seeds likely produced from second growing season. Flowering June to August.
Conservation status
None.
References
Barker, N. G. and Williamson, G. B. 1988. Effects of a winter fire on Sarracenia alata and S. psittacina. American Journal of Botany 75: 138-143 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Brewer, J.S. 1999 Effects of Fire, Competition and Soil Disturbances on Regeneration of a Carnivrous Plant (Drosera capillaris). Am. Midl. Nat. 141: 28-42. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Crowder, A. A., Pearcon, M. C., Grubb, P. J., Langlois, P. H. 1990. Biological flora of the British Isles: No. 167. Drosera L. Journal of Ecology 78: 233-267. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Debuhr, L. 1975 Observations of Byblis gigantea in southwestern Australia. Carnivorous Plant News 4: 60-63. [Empirical evidence; Grey literature]
Lososová, Z., Axmanová, I., Chytrý, M., Midolo, G., Abdulhak, S., Karger, D.N., Renaud, J., Van Es, J., Vittoz, P. and Thuiller, W. 2023. Seed dispersal distance classes and dispersal modes for the European flora. Global Ecology and Biogeography 32: 1485–1494 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Matthews, R.F. 1994. Drosera rotundifolia. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station,
Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/forb/drorot/all.html [Expert opinion; Grey literature]
Schnell, D.E. (1976). Carnivorous plants of the United States and Canada. Winston-Salem, NC: John F. Blair. 125 p. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Sykes, J. M., Horrill, A. D. 1981. Recovery of vegetation in a Caledonian pinewood after fire. Transactions of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh 43: 317-325. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]