Drosera whittakeri (scented sundew, Whittaker's sundew) is a sundew that is native to South Australia and Victoria.[1]
Plants are 4 to 8 cm in diameter, with broadly spathulate leaves arranged in a rosette. These may be green, orange-yellow or red in colour and are 10 to 15 mm long and 9 to 13 mm wide.[1] Up to 20 white flowers are produced overall, with multiple flowers open at any one time.[1] The main flowering period is May to November in its native range, but flowers may appear throughout the year.[2]
The species was formally described by Jules Émile Planchon in Annales des Sciences Naturelles in 1848 as Drosera "Whittakerii".[3] The species was named after Derbyshire botanist Joseph Whittaker who collected some 300 plant specimens from Adelaide and the southern Mount Lofty Ranges to Encounter Bay between 1839–1840.[1]: 163 Two subspecies are recognised by some authorities:[3]
In 2008, Allen Lowrie and John G. Conran elevated the former to species status, as Drosera aberrans. The authors also argue that Drosera praefolia should be considered a distinct species, rather than a synonym of D. whittakeri.[1]
Media related to Drosera whittakeri at Wikimedia Commons
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