Roridula gorgonias Planch.

Scientific Nomenclature

Scientific name: Roridula gorgonias Planch. Roridula gorgonias, commonly called Gorgons dewstick, is a slender shrub that reaches 60–100 cm in height.

Stem Characteristics

It has fairly stout brownish stems marked with prominent horizontal leaf scars.

Leaf Growth Habit

Leaves grow crowded at the tips of branches. Young leaves grow upright, but their bases gradually bend downward until the leaves are fully reflexed.

Shoot Growth Cycle

After a shoot produces flowers, it dies back, but develops new side shoots below the old inflorescences.

Leaf Arrangement

Leaves are arranged alternately, and lack both stipules and leaf stalks.

Leaf Blade Dimensions

The leaf blade is linear, up to 12 cm (6 in) long and ½ cm (0.2 in) wide, tapering toward the tip.

Leaf Margin Features

It has an entire margin that bears many long tentacles, each topped by a teardrop-shaped gland.

Upper Leaf Surface

The upper leaf surface is covered with many smaller, shorter tentacles mixed with white hairs.

Lower Leaf Surface

The lower leaf surface is hairless, except for a row of short tentacles along the raised mid-vein.

Inflorescence Structure

Flowers are arranged in a spike that ends in a terminal flower, and a spike may hold up to twelve radially symmetrical flowers.

Flower Stalk Features

Each flower sits on a short stalk that has a bract at its base.