Drosera rotundifolia
Round-leaved sundew
(c) william_hoyer, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Droseraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Drosera rotundifolia (Round-leaved sundew) is a native California herb in the Droseraceae family, recognized by (D. anglica). Clear leaf size and shape differences, broader elevation range.
Round-leaved sundew is a California native perennial found in northwestern coastal areas, Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada High Country in swamps, wet meadows, and peatlands at elevations below 2,700 meters. Flowering from June to September, this carnivorous plant produces delicate white to pink flowers 4 to 6 millimeters long with white petals. Growing with thin stems 5 to 35 centimeters tall, it forms clusters of low-growing rosettes in moist environments. Its distinctive leaves are rounded, 3 to 12 millimeters long and 4 to 20 millimeters wide, covered with sticky glandular hairs that trap and digest small insects. The plant produces small seeds 1 to 1.5 millimeters long with fine, regular longitudinal striations.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species (D. anglica). Clear leaf size and shape differences, broader elevation range.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Swamps, wet meadows, forests, peatlands, often with
Elevation: < 2700 m
California counties: Plumas, Mendocino, Butte, Humboldt, Tulare, El Dorado, Fresno, Del Norte, Nevada, Siskiyou, Alpine, Sierra, Lassen, Madera, Placer, Shasta, Sonoma, Trinity, Tuolumne, Tehama, Calaveras, Colusa, Mariposa
Outside California: to eastern United States, circumboreal
Bloom period
Drosera rotundifolia blooms Jun-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Parnassia: Sundew has sticky insect-trapping hairs on leaves; Parnassia has smooth leaves.; vs Limonium: Sundew has sticky-haired leaves that trap insects; sea lavender has smooth leaves.; vs Linum: Sundew has sticky-haired leaves in basal rosettes; flax has smooth narrow leaves on upright stems.; vs Ayenia: Sundew has sticky gland-tipped hairs on leaves; Ayenia has smooth leaves.; vs Armeria: Sundew has sticky-haired leaves that trap insects; thrift has smooth grass-like leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Drosera rotundifolia native to California?
Yes. Drosera rotundifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Drosera rotundifolia bloom?
Drosera rotundifolia blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Drosera rotundifolia grow?
Drosera rotundifolia occurs in Plumas, Mendocino, Butte, Humboldt, Tulare, El Dorado, Fresno, Del Norte and other counties, at elevations of < 2700 m.
What plant family does Drosera rotundifolia belong to?
Drosera rotundifolia is in the Droseraceae family, genus Drosera.
What habitat does Drosera rotundifolia grow in?
Drosera rotundifolia grows in Uncommon. Swamps, wet meadows, forests, peatlands, often with.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.