User:Brentbenedum/sandbox

A mature D. admirabilis beginning to flower. Note the flower stalk emerging from the center.

Drosera admirabilis the "Floating Sundew" is in the carniverous plant family Droseraceae. The nickname "admirabilis" has been derived from how "admirable" the plant is when it's a fully matured specimen. Structurally similar to D. aliciae, and D. cuneifolia, the D. admirabilis grows in a single tight rosette-shaped leaf bundle. Like many other African sundews, D. admirabilis is a hardy perennial. D. admirabilis has outer tentacles like those of D. sessilifolia and D. burmannii which will bend inwards toward prey seconds after stimulation, while D. glanduligera is known to bend these tentacles in toward prey in tenths of a second.

Reproduction

This sundew will flower several times from spring to fall if given proper environmental conditions. The flowers of D. admirabilis sit on top of a 20-30 cm stalk which bend horizontally as each flower opens. Only one flower usually opens each day, opening up early in the morning, and is fully closed by the last light of the day. Its flowers are typically 1 cm in diameter with five light-violet petals and ten yellow anthers in the center, surrounded by six light-violet stigmas.

Like many other Drosera, D. admirabilis is easily propagated by several methods. Root and leaf cuttings are standard ways to asexually propagate this species of sundew.

Cultivation

A fully mature D. admirabilis takes about one full year and can grow to about 5 cm in diameter, while reaching over 8 cm tall. This sundew can grow year long without a dormancy period. When the plant receives ample amounts of light the trichomes can darken from a green to a deep red. If grown indoors/greenhouse, a slightly acidic soil mixture such as 1:1 peat to sand ratio will be best for cultivation of D. admirabilis. It can tolerate a wide range of temperatures but prefers to stay 70°F - 80°F. Its roots will grow deep, thus a taller pot is preferred when transplanting a fully grown admirabilis.