SUNDEW

Description

It’s a perennial herb, small (up to 15 cm). The leaves are in a basal rosette, with petiole of up to 3 cm and sub-orbicular limb (up to 1 cm in width), covered with red, glandular, setose and sticky hair. Inflorescence is in racemiform tops with 6 to 10 small white corolled flowers. Flowers are pentamerous with green, obtuse, sepals fused together at the basal part. Petals are white. Stamens are in groups of five, alternate with petals. Tricarpellary ovary crowned by 6 styles (divided in 3 groups of 2). The fruit is an oval-shaped capsule shorter than the calyx, with valvar dehiscence. Flowers open at determined time (normally, few hours before the sunset). It belongs to the Droseraceae family.

This plant is insectivorous. If an insect rest on it, it’s caught with the sticky glandular leaf hairs, the leaf then folding around the prey. After an insect has been caught, the glandular heads secrete a digestive fluid which dissolves all that can be absorbed from the insect, especially the nitrogenated and phosphorated compounds, which are very scarce in the zones where this plant is found. It blooms in the summer.

Part used

The whole plant.

Indications

Internal use

• Respiratory disorders: bronchitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, asthma, whooping cough, irritating and spasmodic cough, etc.
• Very useful for people who have to over use their voice (teachers, singers, preachers, etc.)
• Digestive spasms.

External use

• Neuralgia, osteoarticular inflammation, muscle contracture, myalgia, etc.
• Warts treatment.

Bibliography

Benigni, R; Capra, C; Cattorini, P. Piante Medicinali. Chimica, Farmacologia e Terapia. Milano: Inverni & Della Beffa, 1962, pp. 486-9.

Bézanger-Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M. Les Plantes dans la Therapeutique Moderne. 2ª. Paris: Maloine, 1986, pp. 192-3.

Bézanger-Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M; Trotin, F. Plantes Médicinales des Regions Tempérées. Paris: Maloine, 1980, pp.139-40.

Bruneton, J. Elementos de Fitoquímica y Farmacognosia. Zaragoza: Acribia, 1991, p.198.

Fernández, M; Nieto, A. Plantas Medicinales. Pamplona: Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, 1982, p.73.

Lastra, JJ; Bachiller, LI. Plantas Medicinales en Asturias y la Cornisa Cantábrica. Gijón: Ediciones Trea, 1997, pp. 126-7.

Paris, RR; Moyse, M. Précis de Matière Médicale. Tome II. Paris: Masson, 1967, pp. 226-9.

Peris, JB; Stübing, G; Vanaclocha, B. Fitoterapia Aplicada. Valencia: M.I. Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos, 1995, p. 253.

Trease, GE; Evans, WCh. Farmacognosia. México D.F.: Interamericana--MacGraw-Hill, 1991, p. 730.

Van Hellemont, J. Compendium de Phytotherapie. Bruxelles: Association Pharmaceutique Belge, 1986, pp. 136-7.

Villar, L; Palacín, JM; Calvo, C; Gómez, D; Montserrat, G. Plantas Medicinales del Pirineo Aragonés y demás tierrras oscenses. 2ª. Huesca: Diputación Provincial, 1992, p. 285.

Melzig MF, Petz HH, Krenn L. Anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic activity of extracts from Droserae Herba. Phytomedicine 2001; 8 (3): 225-229.

Didry N, Dubreuil L, Trotin F, Pinkas M. Antimicrobial activity of aerial parts of Drosera peltata Smith on oral bacteria. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 1998; 60: 91-96.