Hybanthus stellarioides

Family

Violaceae

Botanical Name

Hybanthus stellarioides (Domin) P.I.Forst.

Forster, P.I. (1993) Muelleria 8(1): 18. Type: ?.

Synonyms

Hybanthus enneaspermus var. stellarioides Domin, Bibliotheca Botanica 89(4): 983(1921), Type: Nordost-Queensland: Hugel bei Yarraba, auf Felsen in einer Hohe von ca. 550 m sowie am Waterfall Creek bei Yarraba, in der Randzone der Savannenwäl

Common name

Spade Flower

Stem

Annual herb to 30 cm tall. Stems with scattered antrorse to divaricate hairs.

Leaves

Leaves subsessile, leaf blade 12-80 x 2-8 mm, entire with occasionally a few marginal teeth, margins recurved never revolute, margins ciliate, hairs antrorse. Stipules 0.8-1 mm long, adpressed against stem, short, papery, opaque, margins ciliate.

Flowers

Flowers solitary in leaf axils; peduncle filiform, 3-13 mm long; bracts triangular, 0.6-1 x 0.3 mm; pedicels 2-4.5 mm long; sepals lanceolate-ovate, 2.5-4.5 x 0.8-1.2 mm. Corolla yellow to orange; anterior petal spathulate, 10-14 x 5-9.5 mm; outer lateral petals linear-oblong, 3-4.2 x 1.3-1.5 mm; inner lateral petals lanceolate-falcate, 4-5 x 1.8-2 mm. Filaments filiform, dimorphous, 3 posterior and 2 anterior with hair-tipped nectaries.

Fruit

Capsules 5.5-7.5 x 3-6 mm. Seeds 5-10, ovoid-ellipsoid, 1.8-2.2 x 1.2-1.4 mm, longitudinally ribbed and ca. pitted between the ribs, yellow.

Seedlings

Features not available.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in CYP, NEQ, CQ and NSW as far south as Coffs Harbour. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 1000 m. Grows in rocky open places in Eucalypt forest, various types of woodland, heathland and in wooded grassland.