Carnivorous Plants of Australia Magnum Opus, Volume 1

About this book

Australia is home to over one third of all carnivorous plants species that are currently known worldwide. This amazing concentration is far greater than any other continent or country, and the Australian species include the largest, most spectacular and unusual representatives of many carnivorous plant groups (particularly sticky-leaved insect-eating plants). Australia also boasts several endemic carnivorous plant genera that occur no where else on earth.

Over the past five decades, world renowned botanist Allen Lowrie has travelled across Australia to observe, study and photograph all carnivorous plant species of the continent. His pioneering efforts yielded the discovery and naming of dozens of new species and hundreds of the first photographs ever taken of nearly sixty carnivorous plant taxa. In 1987, Allen Lowrie published the first of a three-volume treatise documenting all Australian carnivorous plants known at that time. When the last book of the set was released in 1998, the three volumes had become the most highly respected, most popular and certainly the most valuable of all carnivorous plant publications produced since Charles Darwin's pioneering study on the subject that was printed over a century before. All three of Allen Lowrie's volumes quickly sold out, and continue to be treasured by book collectors across the world and traded for thousands of dollars.

During the intervening 25 years since the publication of the original works, Allen Lowrie continued to undertake intensive field observations and he discovered many more new Australian carnivorous plants. He has carefully revised, updated and improved his original books and his life's work is now complete and released as Carnivorous Plants of Australia Magnum Opus, Volumes 1, 2 and 3. This incredible benchmark study offers a definitive, unparalleled and up-to-date examination of all carnivorous plants currently recognised from the continent of Australia (8 Byblis species; 1 Aldrovanda; 1 Cephalotus; 3 Polypompholx; 3 Nepenthes; 160 Drosera and 60 Utricularia). Carnivorous Plants of Australia Magnum Opus includes twenty three new species, four new hybrids, eleven recombined taxa, two new records for Australia, and eight taxa that have been recalled from synonymy. It also includes a wealth of new information and location data, new observations, unique photographs and new maps that update the original works.

Five hundred signed copies of each volume are available on a first come, first served basis. Signed copies bear unique numbers (from 1 to 500). The earlier the order is placed, the lower the number that will be received.

Contents

Acknowledgements                
Preface    
Types of Carnivorous Plants    
Habitats of Carnivorous Plants in Australia    
Substrate – an important determinant in Drosera growth habits    
The Groups of Australian Drosera
    Tuberous Drosera     30
    Pygmy Drosera     44
    Natural Pygmy Drosera Hybrids     52
    Man-made Pygmy Drosera Hybrids     56
    Perennial Tropical Drosera     60
    Miscellaneous Drosera    78
    Drosera indica Complex    78

Setocoris – the Sundew Bugs     80
Keys to the Carnivorous Plants of Australia     88

The Species:    
    Introduction to the Species Descriptions    
    Aldrovanda    
    Byblis    
    Cephalotus    
    Drosera species A to F; aberrans, adelae, allantostigma, andersoniana, androsacea, aquatica, arcturi, aurantiaca, auriculata, australis, × badgerupii, × badgingarra, banksii, barbigera, barrettorum, basifolia, bicolor, binata, bindoon, brevicornis, broomensis, browniana, bulbigena, bulbosa, burmannii, caduca, callistos, calycina, × carbarup, citrina, closterostigma, coalara, collina, coomallo, cucullata, darwinensis, depauperata, derbyensis, dichrosepala, dilatatopetiolaris, drummondii, echinoblastus, eneabba, enodes, eremaea, erythrogyne, erythrorhiza, esperensis, falconeri, fimbriata, finlaysoniana, fragrans, fulva

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