Range: Serra do Caraca, Minas Gerais, Southeast Brazil

 

A species recently split into the type form and a separate species D. spiralis, this taxon is a rare, localized endemic of the Serra do Caraca highlands of Minas Gerais, where it grows in limited populations at elevations of 1800-1950 meters on the four tallest peaks of the region. Habitat  is preferably permanently moist peat-sand soils near sandstone and seeps, shaded sometimes by the taller surrounding vegetation. Plants may form stems up to 6 cm long, supporting an erect to semi-erect rosette of filiform tapered leaves up to 24 cm in length (sometimes up to 30 cm), covered on their 4 cm petiole and abaxial surface by long, silvery white hairs. A distinct trait of the leaves is the perfectly circinate unfurling pattern they possess. Inflorescences may reach 38 cm long, sometimes bifurcated at the tip, and typically covered in the same white hairs as the leaves. Flowers may be up to 2 cm across, with pinkish to lilac roughly ovular petals. This species is distinguished from its relatives D. spiralis and D. magnifica by the short-stemmed, singular growth pattern, smaller triangular stipules at the leaf bases, small glandular trichomes on the sepals, perfectly circinate leaf vernation, longer petioles, and indumentum differences.

 

Cultivation: Plants should be grown in a 2:1 sand/peat soil, kept moist at all times and moderately humid with temperatures of  70-85°F day, and nighttime temps around 50-60°F. Seeds should be sown on the soil surface, and grow in strong artificial light to preferably full sun.

 

Lifespan and reproduction: perennial. Reproduces through seed and possible division, and can be grown through leaf and root cuttings.

 

Sources: Gonella, P.M., Rivadavia, F., and Sano, P.T. (2012). Re-establishment of Drosera spiralis (Droseraceae), and a new circumscription of D. graminifolia. Phytotaxa 75: 43-57.

http://www.ladin.usp.br/carnivoras/Photos/Genera/Drosera/graminifolia_Caraca_03_1992__1.jpg