Stylidium ericksoniae
Encyclopedia
Stylidium ericksoniae is a dicotyledon
ous plant
that belongs to the genus
Stylidium (family Stylidiaceae
). It is an annual plant
that grows from 6 to 15 cm tall. The linear
or deltate leaves, about 20-100 per plant, are mostly in terminal rosettes
but with some scattered along the elongate stem. The leaves are generally 4.0-9.5 mm long and 0.6-1.1 mm wide. Petioles
are absent. This species produces 1-20 scapes
per plant. Inflorescence
s are 5-11 cm long and produces a single pink or mauve flower that blooms from March to August in the southern hemisphere
. S. ericksoniae is endemic to the northern areas of the Northern Territory
of Australia
. Its habitat is recorded as being damp sand near sandstone rocks or on swampy drainage channels. It's been found in association with Micraira
and Pandanus
species. S. ericksoniae is most closely associated with S. pedunculatum
. Its conservation status
has been assessed as data deficient
.
Two forms
of this species have been recognized and described, but not given a taxonomic status. A. R. Bean described the forms in his revision of the subgenus Andersonia
. The form from the lowlands near Darwin
is distinguished by its densely hairy leaves with acute apices while the form from Kakadu National Park
sandstone escarpments have sparsely hairy leaves with mucronate apices. All other characteristics of these forms are identical, and this is the reason Bean gave for no taxonomic distinction.
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...
). 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 6 to 15 cm tall. The linear
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
or deltate leaves, about 20-100 per plant, are mostly in terminal 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:...
but with some scattered along the elongate stem. The leaves are generally 4.0-9.5 mm long and 0.6-1.1 mm wide. Petioles
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
are absent. This species produces 1-20 scapes
Scape (botany)
In botany, scapes are leafless flowering stems that rise from the ground. Scapes can have a single flower or many flowers, depending on the species....
per plant. 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 5-11 cm long and produces a single pink or mauve flower that blooms from March to August in the southern hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
. S. ericksoniae is endemic to the northern areas of the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Its habitat is recorded as being damp sand near sandstone rocks or on swampy drainage channels. It's been found in association with Micraira
Micraira
Micraira is a genus of grass in the Poaceae family.-External links:*...
and Pandanus
Pandanus
Pandanus is a genus of monocots with about 600 known species. They are numerous palmlike dioecious trees and shrubs native of the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are classified in the order Pandanales, family Pandanaceae.-Overview:...
species. S. ericksoniae is most closely associated with S. pedunculatum
Stylidium pedunculatum
Stylidium pedunculatum is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium . It is an annual plant that grows from 5 to 10 cm tall. The linear or deltate leaves, about 20-200 per plant, are mostly in terminal rosettes but with some scattered along the elongate stem. The leaves are...
. Its conservation status
Conservation status
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group is still extant and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future...
has been assessed as data deficient
Data Deficient
Data Deficient is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when the available information is not sufficient for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made...
.
Two forms
Form (botany)
In botanical nomenclature, a form is one of the "secondary" taxonomic ranks, below that of variety, which in turn is below that of species; it is an infraspecific taxon...
of this species have been recognized and described, but not given a taxonomic status. A. R. Bean described the forms in his revision of the subgenus Andersonia
Stylidium subg. Andersonia
Andersonia is a subgenus of Stylidium that is characterized by a linear hypanthium, recurved mature capsule walls, an erect and persistent septum, and many seeds...
. The form from the lowlands near Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
is distinguished by its densely hairy leaves with acute apices while the form from Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin.Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It covers an area of , extending nearly 200 kilometres from north to south and over 100 kilometres...
sandstone escarpments have sparsely hairy leaves with mucronate apices. All other characteristics of these forms are identical, and this is the reason Bean gave for no taxonomic distinction.