Stylidium diceratum
Encyclopedia
Stylidium diceratum is a dicotyledon
ous plant
that belongs to the genus
Stylidium (family Stylidiaceae
). The specific epithet diceratum is Greek
for "two horns", referring to the two appendages that are present on the bend of the gynostemium. It is an annual plant
that grows from 15 to 35 cm tall. The longer leaves are lanceolate
and the shorter ones are spathulate, forming a basal rosettes
around the stem. The leaves are around 5–8 mm long and 0.2-2.5 mm wide. Inflorescence
s are around 6–15 cm long and produce flowers that are orange with dark orange and pink veins and bloom from June to August in their native range. S. diceratum is only known from the type location
, which is at creek crossings on the road to Beverley Springs in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
. Its habitat is recorded as being sandy soils on creek margins. It grows in the presence of S. ceratophorum
, S. rubriscapum, Drosera caduca
, D. paradoxa
, Byblis liniflora
, and Grevillea pteridifolia
. S. diceratum is most closely related to S. longicornu
, but it can be confused with S. ceratophorum, which also has an orange corolla but twice as large.
Dicotyledon
The dicotyledons, also known as dicots, are a group of flowering plants whose seed typically has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. There are around 199,350 species within this group...
ous plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
that belongs to the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Stylidium (family Stylidiaceae
Stylidiaceae
The family Stylidiaceae is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plants. It consists of five genera with over 240 species, most of which are endemic to Australia and New Zealand. Members of Stylidiaceae are typically grass-like herbs or small shrubs and can be perennials or annuals...
). The specific epithet diceratum is Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
for "two horns", referring to the two appendages that are present on the bend of the gynostemium. It is an annual plant
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
that grows from 15 to 35 cm tall. The longer leaves are lanceolate
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
and the shorter ones are spathulate, forming a basal rosettes
Rosette (botany)
In botany, a rosette is a circular arrangement of leaves, with all the leaves at a single height.Though rosettes usually sit near the soil, their structure is an example of a modified stem.-Function:...
around the stem. The leaves are around 5–8 mm long and 0.2-2.5 mm wide. Inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are around 6–15 cm long and produce flowers that are orange with dark orange and pink veins and bloom from June to August in their native range. S. diceratum is only known from the type location
Biological type
In biology, a type is one particular specimen of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached...
, which is at creek crossings on the road to Beverley Springs in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. Its habitat is recorded as being sandy soils on creek margins. It grows in the presence of S. ceratophorum
Stylidium ceratophorum
Stylidium ceratophorum is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium . It is an annual plant that is endemic to the Kimberley region of Western Australia and northern parts of the Northern Territory. It attains a height of 12–30 cm with a basal rosette of small leaves...
, S. rubriscapum, Drosera caduca
Drosera caduca
Drosera caduca is a perennial carnivorous plant in the genus Drosera that is endemic to Western Australia. Its leaves are arranged in a rosette with one or more rosettes emerging from the root stock. It produces white flowers from December to July...
, D. paradoxa
Drosera paradoxa
Drosera paradoxa is a carnivorous plant in the genus Drosera and is endemic to the Northern Territory and Western Australia. It is a perennial herb with a woody stem that can grow as tall as . The leaves on the single terminal rosette are erect or horizontal and held at the end of linear petioles,...
, Byblis liniflora
Byblis liniflora
Byblis liniflora is a species of carnivorous plant in the Byblidaceae family. It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.-References:* Conran, J.G., Lowrie, A. & Leach, G. 2000. . Downloaded on 20 August 2007....
, and Grevillea pteridifolia
Grevillea pteridifolia
Grevillea pteridifolia is a species of Grevillea native to Australia. Common names include Silky Grevillea, Darwin Silky Oak, Ferny-leaved Silky Oak, Fern-leaved Grevillea, Golden Grevillea, Golden Tree and Golden Parrot Tree. It occurs in Western Australia, Northern Territory, and Queensland....
. S. diceratum is most closely related to S. longicornu
Stylidium longicornu
Stylidium longicornu is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium . It is an annual plant that grows from 10 to 30 cm tall. The obovate to spathulate leaves form a basal rosettes around the stem. The leaves are around 4–6 mm long...
, but it can be confused with S. ceratophorum, which also has an orange corolla but twice as large.