Stylidium graminifolium

grass triggerplant at Canberra Central, ACT

Stylidium graminifolium at Canberra Central, ACT - 25 Oct 2015
Stylidium graminifolium at Canberra Central, ACT - 25 Oct 2015
Request use of media

Identification history

Stylidium graminifolium 7 Jan 2016 RWPurdie
Stylidium armeria subsp. armeria 28 Oct 2015 BettyDonWood
Stylidium graminifolium 25 Oct 2015 JasonC

Identify this sighting


Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

2 comments

BettyDonWood wrote:
   29 Oct 2015
I quote from the key to Stylidium species related to Stylidium graminifolium. S. graminifolium: leaves strictly narrowly linear to 2.5 mm wide, glaucous (with a waxy bloom), edges irregularly serrate (saw-toothed), flowers white to pale pink. In siliceous sands and well drained soils. S. armeria: Leaves greater than 3 mm wide, serrated at the apex only, 20-40 mm long, dark green, scape (flower stalk) robust, more than 2 mm wide, glandular hairy. Flowers dark pink to deep magenta. Widespread.
RWPurdie wrote:
   8 Jan 2016
I've just checked two papers relevant to Stylidium graminifolium and S. armeria: Raulings & Ladiges (2001) Australian Systematic Botany 14, 901-935, and Jackson & Wiltshire (2001) Australian Systematic Botany 14, 937-969. Both provided keys and descriptions for the two species (though Jackson & Wiltshire note they only examined Tasmanian herbarium specimens for S. graminifolium. It’s unclear how many specimens Raulings & Ladiges looked at, but they don’t cite any ACT specimens for S. graminifolium, and only one ACT specimen (from Mt Franklin) for S. armeria [all the other S. armeria specimens cited in their paper under the ACT are actually from NSW].
I’ve checked all the ACT specimens in ANH for both species against the keys and descriptions in the above two papers; the specimens include many from Black Mountain. Based on the herbarium specimens and relating it to my field knowledge of the genus on Black Mountain, I don’t believe S. armeria occurs on Black Mountain, Bruce Ridge or Mt Ainslie. The main obvious differences between the two species are the leaves: S. graminifolium leaves are linear, up to 3 mm wide, and the mid rib is clearly visible on the lower surface. S. armeria leaves are narrowly oblanceolate (ie broader in the upper half), usually 4 mm or more wide (rarely c. 3 mm) and the midrib is not obvious on the lower surface. These characters are difficult to tell from photos but are readily apparent in herbarium specimens (and fresh specimens).

Please Login or Register to comment.

Location information

Sighting information

Species information

Record quality

  • Images or audio
  • More than one media file
  • Verified by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
1,894,611 sightings of 21,075 species in 9,303 locations from 12,926 contributors
CCA 3.0 | privacy
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.