Citation: Benth., Fl. Aust. 4:131 (1868).

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Poison lobelia.

Description:
Prostrate to decumbent perennial herbs with often fleshy adventitious roots along the branches, with short spreading hairs at least on young branches; leaves sessile, rarely subsessile with a long cuneate base, 6-25 x 2-5 mm, or, ruse or acute, with widely spaced teeth or serrations along the whole margin, with short spreading hairs on young leaves.

Flowers borne singly in the axils of leaf-like bracts at the apex of branches; peduncle 5-15 rarely up to 35 mm long and usually shorter than the subtending bracts; sepals shortly connate, the lobes triangular, 1.5-2.5 mm long, obtuse, with short spreading hairs; corolla 6-10 mm long along the lower lip, the tube off-white or tinged blue and split along the upper side, the lobes subequal, blue with a pale patch on the median lobe of the lower lip; anther-column with dense tufts of hairs on the apices of the 2 shorter lower anthers and with very short or no hairs on the 3 longer upper anthers.

Fruit obovoid, 4-5 mm long, ridged, hairy; no mature seeds seen.

	Habit.
Image source: fig. 623e in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Distribution:  In swampy areas. S.Aust.: SE.   N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Nov. — Jan.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: A particularly narrow-leaved form with serrations rather than teeth has been recorded several times from an area c. 25 km south of Naracoorte. Dried specimens are often confused with Pratia plalycalyx (F. Muell.)Benth., because of the similar habit, but the latter is distinguished by the glabrous ovary and calyx as well as its short entire corolla tube.

Author: Not yet available