Stylidium - Southern Forest Life
Workbook
descriptions of both species taken from Raulings and Ladiges 2001
Leaf
leaf blade narrowly linear 28.5mm long 2.9mm wide (graminifolium is narrowly linear 5-30(-40)cm long, 1-2.5mm wide, whereas armeria is narrowly lanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate 15-40cm long, (3-)5-15mm wide). graminifolium favoured.
colour mid-green (graminifolium colour not given, armeria mid- to dark green.) inconclusive
whole leaf blade, upper surface
glaucous
margin very minutely serrate to entire (graminifolium has minutely and regularly serrate margins, whereas armeria has membranous with serrations, serrated at apex only, or entire margins). armeria favoured.
midvein prominent on abaxial surface
leaf bifurrowed? (graminifolium has bifurrowed leaf whereas armeria does not)
leaf not recurved
apex acute (graminifolium has aristate apex whereas armeria has acute apex). armeria favoured.
Scape
2mm wide (graminifolium >2mm wide, armeria >2mm wide) inconclusive
glandular-pubescent above lowest flower, glandular-pubescent to glabrescent below
flowers 10-15 in simple erect racemes (doesn’t include unopened buds) (graminifolium 10-50 in simple erect racemes, armeria (25-)30-100 in simple to condensed erect racemes) graminifolium favoured, but many buds on our plants were unopened
Floral structure
calyx ovoid?, 6.5mm long (graminifolium lanceolate-ovate, c. 2mm long; armeria ovoid, c. 6mm long). armeria favoured
corolla tube. 4.6mm long, lobes spreading, 10mm across, light to dark pink, lobes paired laterally, unequal, obovate lanceolate (graminifolium 4mm long, lobes 5-10mm across, white to pale pink, oblong; armeria 5mm long, lobes 8-14mm across, light to dark pink-magenta, obovate to lanceolate) armeria favoured
labellum boss acute with long? lateral paracorolla (graminifolium has acute boss with short linear lateral paracorolla; armeria has ovate boss with long linear lateral paracorolla) inconclusive
8 throat appendages, 6 prominent white with pink tips, subequal, 2 reduced pink (graminifolium has this pattern, whereas armeria has 8 prominent unequal white appendages with purple or yellow tips) graminifolium favoured
column 8mm long (graminifolium 6-8mm long, armeria 8-12mm long) inconclusive
Conclusions
Most of the floral and leaf characters of our plants match armeria better than graminifolium. However leaf length and width are closer to graminifolium than armeria. This may be a consequence of our poor, sandy soil.
This is a workbook page … a part of our website where we record the observations and references used in making species identifications. The notes will not necessarily be complete. They are a record for our own use, but we are happy to share this information with others.