Common Sundew vs Forked Sundew

Drosera rotundifolia compared with Drosera binata

Key Differences

• Common Sundew is Vulnerable while Forked Sundew is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Sundew	Forked Sundew
Kingdom same	Plantae (bitki)	Plantae (bitki)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)
Family same	Droseraceae	Droseraceae
Genus same	Drosera	Drosera
Species	Drosera rotundifolia	Drosera binata

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Sundew and Forked Sundew share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Drosera.

Conservation Status

Common Sundew

VU — Vulnerable

Forked Sundew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Sundew	Forked Sundew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Sundew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (8 countries), and North America (Canada, United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Forked Sundew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Common Sundew

<em>Drosera rotundifolia</em>, the common sundew, is a carnivorous flowering plant in the family Droseraceae, order Caryophyllales. It has a broad distribution spanning Europe, Asia, and North America, typically growing in sphagnum bogs, wet heathlands, and other nutrient-poor, acidic wetland habitats where it compensates for low soil nutrient availability by trapping and digesting insects. The round leaves bear red, glandular tentacles tipped with sticky mucilage that immobilize prey, which is then digested by enzymes secreted from the leaf surface. <em>Drosera rotundifolia</em> produces small white flowers on a slender scape, pollinated by insects. It plays a minor but ecologically interesting role in controlling insect populations within its boggy habitat. Biological traits including typical individual lifespan, precise leaf dimensions, and detailed prey composition remain poorly documented. The species is assessed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, reflecting significant population declines across much of its range driven primarily by drainage and destruction of peatland habitats, atmospheric nitrogen deposition, and climate change altering the hydrology of bog ecosystems. Effective peatland conservation is critical for the long-term survival of this species.