Family: Haloragaceae
Gonocarpus elatus
Citation:
Orch., Bull. Auckland Inst. Mus. 10:219 (1975).
Synonymy: Haloragis elata Cunn. ex Fenzl in Endl., Enum. Pl.Hügel 45 (1837); H. tenuis Schindler, Pflanzenr. 23:27 (1905).
Common name: Hill raspwort.
Description:
Erect or ascending perennial herb or subshrub 18-35 (rarely to 60)cm tall, stems weakly 4- or 5-ribbed, with dense soft spreading 3-celled hairs 0.4-1 mm long; leaves sessile, alternate, linear-lanceolate to ovate, 1-5.2 (usually 2-3)cm long, entire or toothed in the distal half, margins revolute, densely pilose.
Inflorescence bracts leaf-like, 2-3 mm long, pilose; bracteoles brown, lanceolate, 0.8-1 (rarely to 1.5) mm long, entire; flowers 4-merous, on pedicels 0.3-0.4 mm long, solitary; sepals green, deltoid, 0.6-0.8 mm long, margins thickened, with a basal callus; petals reddish-brown, 2.1-2.7 mm long; stamens 8; anthers linear-oblong, 2-2.3 mm long; styles clavate; stigmas capitate, yellow, fimbriate; ovary white to slate-grey or brown, globose to ovoid, 0.9-1.2 mm long, weakly 8-ribbed, with 3 or 4 irregular transverse rows of tubercles or almost smooth.
Fruit globose to ovoid, 1.2-1.5 (rarely 0.9) mm long, ornamentation as for ovary, pilose.
Published illustration:
Orchard (1975) Bull. Auckland Inst. Mus. 10:222.
Distribution:
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Confined mainly to dry rocky hillsides.
S.Aust.: FR, EA, EP, NL, MU, SL, SE. Qld; N.S.W.; Vic.
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Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: Oct. — Dec.
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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:
A plastic species in which leaf shape in particular is very subject to environmental influence. In harsh dry situations they become almost entire, smaller, narrower and revolute. Sporadic hybrids are known between this species and G. mezianus.
Author:
Not yet available
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