Drosera lasiantha

Drosera lasiantha is a small carnivorous perennial in the sundew family, native to Western Australia. Like other sundews, it produces rosettes or erect stems lined with glandular, hair-covered leaves that secrete a sticky mucilage. This adhesive coating traps small invertebrates, which the plant then digests to supplement the limited nitrogen and phosphorus available in its native soils.

This carnivorous strategy allows it to persist in nutrient-poor substrates where few other plants can thrive, and it contributes to local invertebrate population regulation while occupying a specialized niche within its plant community.

The species is restricted to Australia, where it grows in forested and rocky habitats. It is typically associated with well-drained, sandy or gravelly soils in these settings, often in open or semi-open areas that receive adequate sunlight, a requirement for its photosynthetic and prey-capture activities.

Drosera lasiantha is currently classified as Vulnerable. The primary identified threat is fire, both from altered fire regimes and from fire suppression practices that change the structure and composition of its forest and rocky habitats. Changes in fire frequency and intensity can affect soil conditions, vegetation cover, and competition from other plant species, all of which influence the sundew's ability to persist in a given site.

Specific conservation measures targeting this species are not well documented in available records, though its presence in forested and rocky habitats within Australia may afford it some incidental protection where these areas fall within reserves or managed lands. Population trends are currently unknown, limiting precise assessment of trajectory. Continued monitoring and habitat management, particularly regarding fire regimes, would help clarify its long-term conservation status.