Drosera flexicaulis
{Mbala, Zambia}
A stem-forming tropical sundew from Angola, Zambia and the DR Congo. Closely related to D. affinis and long treated as a synonym, but now recognised as a distinct species. The two grow together in the wild and sometimes form hybrids, which is what caused the taxonomic confusion in the first place.
D. flexicaulis has a distinctive growth pattern: it sends up long, slender stems (up to 70 cm) through tall grass in seasonally wet savannahs. Early in the season, the stems grow quickly with well-spaced leaves, racing the emerging grass. When they reach the top of the grass canopy, the plant switches to tight, rosetted growth and sends out flower stalks. This alternation between stretched-out and compact sections along the stem is unique in the genus. Leaf blades are narrow, 3-5 mm wide. Flowers are bright pink.
Unlike D. affinis, D. madagascariensis and D. elongata, which prefer spots that stay moist through the dry season, D. flexicaulis also occurs in places that dry out completely, surviving as dormant roots.
