Drosera capillaris, also known as the pink sundew, is a species of carnivorous plant belonging to the family Droseraceae. It is native to the southern United States, the Greater Antilles, western and southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. It is critically endangered in some places and thrives in unique conditions like fires, as it allows new growth to flourish. They can reach a diameter of at their largest. Individual leaf blades typically range from to in length. Their inflorescences can reach heights of to , forming a one sided raceme, with 1 to 6 pink, or rarely, white blooms. Flowers mature to an ovoid capsule, roughly long. Like all members of its genus, D.capillaris leaf blades are covered in glandular trichomes which excrete a sugary mucilage. Small invertebrates then become trapped by the hairs, and are subsequently digested by enzymes. The trichomes act similarly to tentacles, closing around trapped organisms further ensnaring them. Thick clay deposits both prevent the establishment of large trees or shrubs, and trap water. The resulting habitat are sunny but always wet. These habitats are highly acidic, sandy, and nutrient deficient, incentivizing carnivory. Drosera are allowed to flourish in these nutrient deficient environments since they take in a lot of nutrients from the prey they capture. The harsh environments they usually live in also lead to the evolution of roots that can handle low nourishment and stabilize itself into the ground. In North America, Dcapillaris grows concurrently with other unrelated species of carnivorous plants such as Sarracenia species (pitcher plants), Pingucula species (butterworts), and Utricularia species (bladderworts), as well as other species of Drosera. Across their entire range, other common coexisting species include orchids, Eleocharis species (spikerushes), Rhynchospora species (breaksedges), and Paspalum species., this is most likely due to the specific conditions in which they require to thrive and by cause of human actions. These plants are often collected, decreasing their already low populations and relocated in new environments where they do not belong. Pollution also greatly impacts the heath of these plants, this pollution could come from fertilizers or nutrient addition that only benefit certain desired crops. Such specific environment has led to its decline over the years. Drosera capillaris is now listed as vulnerable in the US state of Virginia, and critically imperiled in Arkansas, Maryland, and Tennessee.
Human use
Carnivorous plants are often collected and sought after by humans, as they are seen as unique and exotic. Due to this high demand, there is a large illegal market where collectors will breed and sell these plants but with the cost of disturbing the natural environment they grow in. Drosera are highly targeted due to their medicinal use for the respiratory system.