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The New Eng lan d Carnivo rous Plant Society
www.NECPS.org
The Dewy Pine
Drosophyllum lusitanicum
Derived from the ancient Latin
word for Portugal, Lusitania,
Drosophyllum lusitanicum is a
unique carnivorous plant. While
most carnivorous plants grow in
wet, acidic conditions, the Dewy
Pine actually grows in dry, alkaline
soil. The Portuguese call this plant
“Pinheiro baboso”, which means
“slobbering” pine. This plant was
one of several “flycatchers” studied
by Charles Darwin and proven to be
carnivorous.
How They Trap Food:
Insect prey are attracted to the
plant by a strong, sweet aroma
resembling that of bee honey.
Alighting upon a leaf, an insect is
mired in the oily mucilage.
However, unlike the sticky glue of
the sundews which holds prey to
the plant, the mucilage of the Dewy
Pine readily pulls off and instead
coats the insect. Attempting to
escape, larger insects will move up
and down the leaf, further coating
themselves until they suffocate.
The plant then secretes digestive
enzymes in a liquid that “slobbers”
down the leaf.
Typical Prey:
The Dewy Pine in cultivation
Photo from http://www.necps.org
Drosophyllum lusitanicum in the wild
Photo from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drosophyllum_lusitanicum
Various flying insects like gnats, flies and moths.
Where it Lives:
Drosophyllum lusitanicum hails from the Mediterranean coastal
hills of Portugal, Spain and Morocco. These areas are typically very foggy, and it is
believed that this is vital to the growth of the plant, as it appears to absorb the moisture
that condenses on its leaves.
Basic Care:
Drosophyllum lusitanicum is rare in cultivation, partly due to the
difficulty of seed germination. Scarification (scraping of the seed surface) may be helpful,
as well as having fresh seed. The soil should be kept drier than most carnivorous plants,
and lighting should be high. To simulate growth in a Mediterranean climate, the plant
should be kept warm and dry in the summer, and chillier and wetter in the winter.
References: 1. D’Amato, Peter. 1998. The Savage Garden. Berkeley, California.: Ten Speed Press.
2. Flisek, Jan and Pasek, Kamil. “The Portuguese Sundew in nature and cultivation”
http://bestcarnivorousplants.com/Drosophyllum_lusitanicum.htm.