Levenhookia pulcherrima

Taxobox
name = beautiful stylewort


image_caption =
status = P2
status_system = DECF
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Asterales
familia = Stylidiaceae
genus = "Levenhookia"
sectio = "Levenhookia"
species = "L. pulcherrima"
binomial = "Levenhookia pulcherrima"
binomial_authority = Carlquist, 1969

"Levenhookia pulcherrima", the beautiful stylewort is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus "Levenhookia" (family Stylidiaceae). It is an ephemeral annual that grows on average from 7 to 8 cm tall. Lower leaves are spathulate while upper leaves are oblanceolate and up to 1.8 cm long. Stems and older leaves are red. Flowers are pink to rose-coloured with the shorter anterior petals about 3 mm long. The sensitive labellum is obovate and white with a circular grey-purple mark on either side of the terminal portion. Both leaves and stems of "L. pulcherrima" possess more glandular trichomes than in other "Levenhookia" species. When describing this new species, Sherwin Carlquist noted that it is most closely related to "L. preissii" and "L. pauciflora", which might place it with those species in section "Levenhookia", but Carlquist neglected to specifically say so. He also noted that several features of this species, including its corolla lobe, labellum, throat appendage, and stigma morphology, are distinctly different from those species with which it appears to be associated. "L. pulcherrima" is endemic to southwestern Western Australia.Carlquist, S. (1969). Studies in Stylidiaceae: New taxa, field observations, evolutionary tendencies. "Aliso", 7(1): 13-64.] Paczkowska, Grazyna. (1996). [http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/browse/flora?f=343&level=s&id=7675 "Levenhookia pulcherrima" Carlquist] . FloraBase, Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia. Accessed online: 24 August 2007.]

References