BC-Vancouver Island

[Eric]

The seed I received without more detailed site information produced some quite large plants with more upright leaves and long petioles. One plant seems greener that the others:

Here some developing leaves: left: hairs along the petiole, right: some extra curly leaf unfolding:

D.rotundifolia is not a very variable species, but it can look very different, depending on environmental factors. Plants growing on sand/peat in full sun are usually growing pressed flat to the ground and very red. In constantly wet places the leaves often bend up, but D.rotundifolia does not like to grow submerged like D.intermedia frequently does. Plants growing in more shaded places within Sphagnum cushions get elongated petioles and have smaller blades. This species can keep up with the growth of Sphagnum that’s why it is frequently found on hummocks of bogs. Here 2 examples:

left: Typical D.rotundifolia growing in a sunny raised bog (highland site, Black Forest, BW, DE)
right: Large plant with long petioles (2€-coin diameter 26mm) growing in semi shade (lowland site, RP, DE)

Some leaves of D.rotundifolia from different places / elevations (DE: Germany, CH: Switzerland, FR: France, JP: Japan, CA: Canada):

I should emphasise that I could have picked a smaller leaf of the Vancouver Island plants as well.

Typically flower scapes are coiled when young (left: circinate peduncle), later drooping. The inflorescence is a raceme with a row of flowers, that open one after another. Large plants often can have a forked scape. BTW, there are unusual forms like in D.rotundifolia var.corsica that have a scape that is sometimes forked many times (right: rather a panicle than a raceme, first almost erect, not coiled, later drooping):

left: Vancouver Isl., BC
right: Corsica, France

Some close-ups of the flowers: Left: Side view of the inflorescence, middle: a forked scape with 3 flowers open at the same time, right: extra close, note that the pollen is white (all other temperate species/hybrids have yellow or orange pollen):

Ripe seed capsules and seed. D.rotundifolia is one of the few species with almost transparent seed coat, the dark embryo shining through. The seed is long (spindle-shaped / fusiform) to faciliate wind dispersal:

 

[stevebradford]

Great info! To further add to this, as you said environmental conditions can greatly change Drosera rotundifolia. Both of these rotundifolia are Vancouver island Drosera rotundifolia grown from seed from the same location, also same age, grown in my yard in the same location by a couple feet. The first is grown in peat and the second is grown in local Sphagnum moss, yes the plants keep up with the moss but they only seem to reach half the total size of the plants grown in the peat. This size difference l have also have observed in my bog explorations.

Here is a link to some pictures that also show that size difference in Vancouver island bogs. http://www.carnivorousplantsociety.ca/index.php?threads/drosera-rotundifolia.2678/post-31234