Drosera burmannii is found in northern and eastern Australia, India, China, Japan, and south east Asia. There are various forms that range in size from less than 1 cm to about 2 cm across and may be golden green, dark green, green with red tentacles or all red. The scapes (flower stalks) tend to be greater than 10 cm long and bend at the base. The species is described as having white flowers but some varieties have pink flowers.

Drosera sessilifolia is found in Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela and possibly N Argentina, Paraguay, E Bolivia, E Peru, SE Colombia, French Guiana and Surinam. The plants from seeds distributed by the Seed Bank tend to be 1 to 1.5 cm across, are not as flat in aspect as D. burmannii, and tend to be golden green with red tentacles. The scapes tend to be 5 to 8 cm long, not curve at the base, and have pink flowers.

Please compare photos of D. burmannii and D. sessilifolia in the wild at the Carnivorous Plant Photo Finder (photos of plants in captivity may not be correctly identified). You will note the tremendous variability of these plants in the wild. Some of that variation may not show in plants grown in captivity. However it appears in general D. sessilifolia has wider and shorter petioles with rounder laminas than D. burmannii.

These small plants makes an excellent addition to CP collection. In fact it makes a wonderful weed if you aren't careful.

Drosera burmannii and D. sessilifolia are annuals which means under normal circumstances within one growing season they will grow quickly, bloom, set seed and die. In nature Drosera burmannii seeds sprout with the onset of the summer rainy season. It requires very warm and bright conditions to do well. The plants bloom and then die in the fall as the ground dries out.

You can maintain Drosera burmannii a number of years if you remove the flower stalks before the flowers open, keep the plants in their ideal circumstances of heat and light, and repot them after the mat of old leaves gets thick enough to interfere with new roots. If you allow them to bloom even once, the plants will be reduced in size substantially and may have difficulty recovering unless carefully trimmed of old leaves and transplanted. When you allow the plants to bloom in order to get seed for more plants, it is best to keep them under drier conditions so the seed heads don't get moldy.

These species aren't very picky about soil. They grow well in the standard 1:1 peat:sand "CP mix". Sow the seeds on the surface and put the pot in a very warm and bright location. Everyone has their own preferred routine. I put pots with seeds in plastic zip-lock bags under but not too close to florescent lights. A temperature about 25°C (80°F) works best. When the seeds begin to germinate, I remove the pots from the plastic bags and move the pots to a bright location slightly drier that gets a little air circulation. The seedlings may be a little slow growing at first but they are definitely faster than most Drosera species.

Once the plants are large enough you can try feeding them small insects or get some dried blood worms at a pet shop. The dried blood worms can be dipped in water and placed on the dewy leaves--don't feed a plant that isn't dewy. If the food gets moldy, use less next time. A dab of 70% isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) from a small paint brush will kill the fungus.

Annual Drosera species are generally not propagated by root or leaf cuttings. When you grow them you should always be thinking about getting enough seeds to make sure you will have the plants again next year. If you get way more than you need, be sure to share some with the seed bank.