
Sticky diversity¦The Sundews of Western Australia
Hew Roberts LT Nedlands Lecture Theatre, Clifton St., NedlandsSundews (botanical name Drosera) are carnivorous plants that capture and digest insects using leaves covered in sticky, mucilage-producing tentacles. Western Australia is the global diversity hotspot for the genus, with more than 150 species that primarily occur in the South-West and Kimberley regions. New species continue to be discovered and described each year, with many of them already being on the verge of extinction due to habitat loss. This presentation will introduce the genus Drosera with a focus on natural history aspects such as rediscoveries of long-lost species, novel plant-animal interactions (especially kleptoparasites), and the rapidly growing role of citizen science in taxonomic and conservation research.