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Drosera
(dráh-sir-ah) from the Greek,
droseros, "dewy, watery"
More about...
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a genus of plants commonly known as "sundews"
Drosera are short-lived, herbaceous, perennial wildflowers found in sunny bogs. They compensate for their low nutrient habitat by catching insects with sticky glandular hairs that rim the leaves. The leaf then folds, encapsulating and digesting the prey. In our area, sundews bloom from July to September. The five-petaled flowers range from white to pink or purple. Individuals open one per day, with those at the bottom of the inflorescence blooming first.
| Three species of Drosera used to occur in NYC. One species, round-leaved sundew (D. rotundifolia), has been extirpated (i.e., has become locally extinct) from the city. (Ecological shorthand for extirpated status is 'x'. Get it?) The other two species, thread-leaved sundew (D. filiformis) and narrow-leaved sundew (D. intermedia) are still here, holding on by a tenuous thread. They are threatened by the degradation and loss of their wetland habitats and also by shade from trees and shrubs (succession). These species are the only representatives of the plant family Droseraceae in the city. All 3 species are considered vulnerable to extirpation in New York State. Drosera species serve as reminders of the precarious state of New York City’s native flora. |
Drosera intermedia: spatulate leaf sundew |
a gateway to your "biophilia" – your own instinctive love of nature
The term "biophilia" was coined by E. O. Wilson, the esteemed conservation biologist. Wilson argues that love of nature is universal, transcending cultural and socioeconomic boundaries. In other words, people intuitively care about nature – and it shows: gardening is the #1 hobby in America, and bird watching has become a $25 billion industry.
Our love of nature is not merely recreational, but a fundamental
ingredient in a positive, healthy, and balanced lifestyle. In
the weeks following the 9/11 tragedy, New York City parks reported
record numbers of visitors, as people sought solace in the city’s
green spaces. Studies have shown that people living in apartments
overlooking trees and a patch of grass reported feeling healthier,
more productive, and less aggressive than neighbors whose views
were alleys and concrete. They also scored higher on cognitive
function tests. This is biophilia at work.
We have lost touch with our environment and this part of ourselves.
The nature we are told to protect and revere is not just in the
Brazilian rainforests or the redwoods of California, but also
in the wooded open lot across the street, our local park, and
in the way we live our daily lives – our culture. This nexus
of nature and culture is where Drosera comes in.
Our
Mission:
Drosera is
dedicated to celebrating New York City’s natural heritage
and helping people reconnect with nature. We encourage re-vison
– training our eyes to see the beauty in our local native
flora. These plants are not weeds; they are our natural heritage,
the result of thousands of years of evolution. And as people come
to know a place well, they develop an affinity for it, sensing
what makes it unique and magnificent. New Yorkers need to restore
this sense of serenity and direct connection with the earth that
city life often discourages.
Drosera provides
a home to something endangered – our sense of place and
our understanding of the natural world.
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Drosera
is
the fruit of Mariellé Anzelone
– a lover of cities and all things green. She holds
B.S. and M.S. degrees from Rutgers University. Her graduate
work, "Endangered
Plant Species Populations in New Jersey; Health and Threats",
opened her eyes to nature in her backyard.
As a botanist and urban ecologist, Ms. Anzelone has worked
to preserve and restore the floristic beauty and diversity
of the five boroughs. For more than 6 years, she was the
botanist with New York City's Parks Department, managing
projects throughout 12,000 acres of the city’s forests,
meadows, and wetlands. She serves on various advisory boards,
including Torrey
Botanical Society & the Central Park Woodland Advisory,
and is an active member of Nature
Network, NY
Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, and the
Botanical
Society of America.
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Photo by Graham Morrison |
Current
Projects
Native plant
initiative at Greenmarkets provides New Yorkers with
information and access to indigenous plants and flowers for home
and garden use. As a result of this unique program, growers at
the Union Square Greenmarket now offer certified native plants,
making local flora readily available to New Yorkers for the first
time ever.
Conceived and designed the Native Plant
Display Garden at Union Square Park. This garden features
plants native to the New York City area, including showy horticultural
types such as: Virginia bluebells, large-leaved trillium, wild
columbine, witch hazel, and maidenhair fern. As the only garden
of its kind in the Big Apple, it has become a tiny woodland retreat
in the heart of Manhattan. In progress at East 15th Street and
Union Square West.
In addition to active conservation in the field and incorporating
design elements of local plants in gardens, greenroofs and landscapes, Ms. Anzelone
shares her knowledge through speaking engagements for not-for-profits
and corporations, as well as outreach in public schools. She is
currently organizing NYC Wildflower Week for May 2008.
Content
& photos © 2005-07 Marielle Anzelone & Drosera,
unless otherwise noted.
Site design by electrofork.
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