Drosera glabripes mature leaves

The leaves of this Drosera glabripes plant extend up its sturdy stem, similarly to those of D. cistiflora. But D. cistiflora leaves are slender and oblong, more or less stalkless. D. hilaris leaves, also growing up the stem, have grooved stalks and roughly oblong blades. D. ramentacea is another species with leafy stems, but its stems branch.

Some long, whitish hairs are visible on the stem between the leaves here, as normally found on D. glabripes. The leaf shape is narrow with distinct stalks and rounded tips. Some yellow leaf discoloration indicates leaf age on this plant. The bright red colour of the long marginal hairs on young leaf tips has also dulled to purple on the older leaves in picture.

The knob-tipped hairy tentacles scattered along the leaf surfaces exude mucilaginous drops that combine with reactive tentacle movement when insects land on the leaf, to trap and digest them (Bean and Johns, 2005; iSpot).