Dionaea

Solander ex J. Ellis

St. James’s Chron. Brit. Eve. Post 1172: [4]. 1768.

Common names: Venus’s-flytrap flytrap meadow-clam tippitiwitchet
Etymology: Greek Dione, mother of Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love and beauty whose Roman name was Venus
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 6. Treatment on page 419. Mentioned on page 418, 420.

Plants perennial, evergreen; scapes from bulblike rhizomes encased in fleshy petiole bases; leaves persisting, not forming overwintering buds (hibernaculae). Roots adventitious, white, unbranched. Leaves: stipules absent; petiole winged; blade greenish or bright red adaxially, of 2 subreniform, hinged lobes, margins with stout bristles (hinged along midrib, adaxial surfaces with 3 trigger hairs causing lobes to snap shut on prey when properly stimulated). Inflorescences umbel-like cymes. Flowers: petals marcescent, white; stamens (10–)15(–20), distinct; gynoecium 5-carpellate; style 1, not divided; stigma plumose. Capsules ovoid, opening irregularly. Seeds (20–)25(–30). x = 16.

Distribution

United States, introduced elsewhere.

Discussion

Species 1.

Dionaea has been placed in its own family, Dionaeaceae Rafinesque. This is not without merit, as virtually all of its diagnostic features are different from those of Drosera. Molecular analysis places it in the Droseraceae in the narrow sense (K. M. Cameron et al. 2002; S. E. Williams et al. 1994; F. Rivadavia et al. 2003).

Lower Taxa

... more about "Dionaea"
T. Lawrence Mellichamp +
Solander ex J. Ellis +
Venus’s-flytrap +, flytrap +, meadow-clam +  and tippitiwitchet +
United States +  and introduced elsewhere. +
Greek Dione, mother of Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love and beauty whose Roman name was Venus +
St. James’s Chron. Brit. Eve. Post +
hodick1988a +, roberts1958a +  and williams1982a +
Dionaea +
Droseraceae +