Family: Boraginaceae
Amsinckia lycopsoides
Citation:
Lehm., Delect. Sem. Hort. Hamburg. 1831:3 (1831).
Synonymy: Lithospermum lycopsoides Lehm., Pugillus 2:28 (1830).
Common name: Bugloss fiddle-neck.
Description:
Annual herbs to 50 cm high, moderately branched with branches erect to decumbent, each terminating in an inflorescence, covered with spreading long coarse hairs with a broad base as well as short fine ones; leaves sessile, densely clustered at the base, linear-oblanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 3-9 x 0.5-2 mm, with a cuneate base on the lower parts becoming subcordate below the inflorescence.
Inflorescence with 1-3 terminal monochasia with sessile flowers arranged in 2 rows; sepals scarcely connate basally, 4-5 mm or to 8 mm long when fruiting; corolla narrowly tubular, bright-yellow to orange in the throat, 6-8 mm long, glabrous outside and inside except for hairy pouches in the throat; lobes square to transversely oblong, c. 1.5 mm long, rounded; stamens with filaments connate to one-third or half the corolla tube, with anthers sessile, narrowly elliptic, c. 1 mm long, without appendage; ovary 4-lobed, with a style inserted at about the middle, 3-4 mm long, glabrous, terminating in a scarcely lobed capitate stigma.
Mericarp ovoid, with dorsal ridge covered with pointed tubercles, rugose with pointed tubercles but in parts muricate.
| Flowering branch, hair with multicellular base, opened flower, and mericarps in two views.
|
Image source: fig. 531B in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
|
Published illustration:
Abrams (1951) Ill. Fl. Pacific States 3:fig. 4337.
Distribution:
|
S.Aust.: FR, EP, MU, SL, SE. W.Aust.; N.S.W.; Vic. Native to eastern North America; introduced in western Europe.
|
Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: Nov.
|
SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
|
Biology:
Although it has at present only rarely been recorded from S. Aust. it is likely to be reintroduced as it is also known to occur in other parts of Australia.
Author:
Not yet available
|