Stylidium schizanthum
Encyclopedia
Stylidium schizanthum is a dicotyledon
ous plant
that belongs to the genus
Stylidium (family Stylidiaceae
) that was described by Ferdinand von Mueller
in 1859. It is an erect annual plant
that grows from 9 to 30 cm tall. Obovate
, orbicular, or oblanceolate leaves, about 3-13 per plant, form basal rosettes
. The leaves are generally 3.5–23 mm long and 1.5–12 mm wide. This species generally has one to four scapes
and cymose inflorescence
s that are 9–30 cm long. Flowers are white, pink, mauve, or yellow. S. scizanthums distrubtion ranges from the Kimberley region in Western Australia
through the Northern Territory
and into northern Queensland
. It has been reported as far south as Mount Surprise and even in southern New Guinea
. Its typical habitats are moist sand in Eucalyptus
or Melaleuca
communities, near creekbanks, or associated with sandstone landscapes. It flowers in the southern hemisphere
from February to October. S. schizanthum is closely related to both S. pachyrrhizum
and S. lobuliflorum
.
A.R. Bean, in his 2000 taxonomic revision of Stylidium subgenus Andersonia
, noted that this taxon is highly variable and that additional field work may reveal morphological and genetic differences significant enough to reveal additional species, similar to the work that resolved the S. graminifolium
species complex.
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...
) that was described by Ferdinand von Mueller
Ferdinand von Mueller
Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist.-Early life:...
in 1859. It is an erect 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 9 to 30 cm tall. Obovate
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
, orbicular, or oblanceolate leaves, about 3-13 per plant, form 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:...
. The leaves are generally 3.5–23 mm long and 1.5–12 mm wide. This species generally has one to four 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....
and cymose 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 that are 9–30 cm long. Flowers are white, pink, mauve, or yellow. S. scizanthums distrubtion ranges from the Kimberley region in 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...
through 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...
and into northern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. It has been reported as far south as Mount Surprise and even in southern New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. Its typical habitats are moist sand in Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
or Melaleuca
Melaleuca
Melaleuca is a genus of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae known for its natural soothing and cleansing properties. There are well over 200 recognised species, most of which are endemic to Australia...
communities, near creekbanks, or associated with sandstone landscapes. It flowers 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"...
from February to October. S. schizanthum is closely related to both S. pachyrrhizum
Stylidium pachyrrhizum
Stylidium pachyrrhizum is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium that was described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1859. It is an erect annual plant that grows from 15 to 40 cm tall. Obovate or oblanceolate leaves, about 5-30 per plant, are scattered along the stems. The...
and S. lobuliflorum
Stylidium lobuliflorum
Stylidium lobuliflorum is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium that was described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1859. It is an erect annual plant that grows from 12 to 20 cm tall. Obovate or orbicular leaves, about 4-15 per plant, form basal rosettes. The leaves are...
.
A.R. Bean, in his 2000 taxonomic revision of Stylidium 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...
, noted that this taxon is highly variable and that additional field work may reveal morphological and genetic differences significant enough to reveal additional species, similar to the work that resolved the S. graminifolium
Stylidium graminifolium
Stylidium graminifolium, the grass triggerplant, is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium . This species used to belong to the Stylidium graminifolium complex, but the name was conserved for this single species when two others were split from the complex and introduced as new...
species complex.