The sundew family, droseraceae, is a family of flowering plants. They are a small family of carnivorous plants, which consist of three extant genera: Drosera, Dionaea, and Aldrovanda, each with distinct morphologies. The bulk of the members of Droseraceae are contained in Drosera, the true sundews; Dionaea and Aldrovanda both have only one extant species. Members of Drosera secrete a sticky substance from their leaves that traps prey. Dionaea and Aldrovanda both use snap-traps that close rapidly when the leaves are disturbed; however, Dionaea is terrestrial, while Aldrovanda is strictly aquatic. Like carnivorous plants of other families, the Droseraceae are able to supplement their nutrient intake, especially that of nitrogen, by capturing and digesting small animals such as insects. In this way, these plants are able to thrive in nutrient-deficient areas, such as sphagnum bogs.
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