Isotoma fluviatilis
Citation:
F. Muell. ex Benth., Fl. Aust. 4:136 (1868) subsp. australis J.A. McComb, Contr. N.S. W. natn. Herb. 4:109 (1970).
Synonymy: Lobella fluviatilis R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 563 (1810); Laurentia fluviatilis (R. Br.)E. Wimmer, Annln naturh. Mus. Wien 56:335 (1948).
Common name: Swamp isotome.
Description:
Prostrate herbs with branches up to 20 cm long and frequently rooting, forming dense mats, young branches and leaves with scattered pointed short broad-based hairs, often glabrescent later; leaves subpetiolate with a long cuneate base, oblanceolate-spathulate at first becoming sessile and usually elliptic towards the apex of branches, 6-15 x 3-10 mm, obtuse to rounded, with few widely spaced marginal teeth mainly towards the apex, rarely entire.
Flowers borne singly in the axils of leaf-like bracts at the apex of branches; peduncle 5-40 mm long; sepals shortly connate, the lobes triangular, 2-3.5 mm long, acute; corolla pale-blue to deeply purplish-blue or rarely white, with a white or pale-yellow patch as well as hairs on the lower 3 lobes and into the throat, with a tube 5-7 mm long, the lobes oblong-elliptic, 4-9 mm long, acute; ovary semi-inferior, obconical, hairy.
Fruit conical-cylindrical to obovoid, smooth, 4-6 mm long; seeds elliptic to orbicular in side view, c. 0.5 mm long, densely papillose.
| Habit, half flower, anther-column, apex of anther-column stigma opened and closed.
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Image source: fig. 622A in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
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Published illustration:
Cochrane et al. (1968) Flowers and plants of Victoria, fig. 254.
Distribution:
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In moist places.
N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.
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Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: Nov. — Jan.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
This tetraploid subspecies is very similar to the diploid subsp. borealis from the eastern highlands of northern New South Wales.
Author:
Not yet available
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