Range: Tropical to Southern Africa (Guinea, Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, northern South Africa, Madagascar)

 

This species is a widespread native to the tropical-subtropical regions of Africa and Madagascar (for which it is named), where it can be found in a variety of habitats including savannah seepages, sphagnum bogs and mountain seeps, and marshes. It has been reported from far southern South Africa, though this is now considered to mostly be misidentifications of species such as D. curvipes. Stems may grow to 25 cm in length (sometimes more), a handful of forms relatively short but most erect or climbing, with an elongated spirally arranged set of leaves up to 10 cm across. Each leaf is approximately 4.5 cm in length, with narrow petioles up to 3 cm long with sparse hairs on the undersides and an ovular to roughly teardrop-shaped lamina that when fully mature may develop a lengthwise-folded shape. Coloration ranges from bright green with crimson tentacles throughout, to often sporting a red stem, or even red-tinged in the leaves with yellow-orange lamina. Inflorescences can be up to nearly 60 cm in length and sparsely covered in hairs or small glands, supporting up to 14 blooms. Each flower is up to 2 cm across (often somewhat smaller) with light to hot pink, obovate petals. This species can be distinguished from its other stem-forming relatives by its often thicker stem and petioles, glabrous to sparsely glandular/indumentous nature, ascending inflorescences, and regular stem-forming habit.

 

Cultivation: grow in a sandy or peat-heavy soil mix kept moist to almost waterlogged (though preferably well-aerated) and humid year round, in temps of 75-95°F; cooler conditions may trigger die-back. Sow seeds on the soil surface, and grow in strong artificial light to full sun.

 

Lifespan and reproduction: perennial. Reproduces through seed and occasional stem or root offshoots, and can be grown through cuttings.

 

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drosera_madagascariensis

http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq5243.html

https://plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.flora.ftea000371