Synonyms: Anagosperma APNI*
Siphonidium APNI*
Description: Semiparasitic annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs, rootlets often connected to those of other plants by haustoria.
Leaves opposite and decussate, lower surface with sessile glands, margins usually toothed or crenate.
Inflorescences terminal spike-like racemes [or rarely flowers solitary]; bracts leaf-like. Calyx 4-lobed, median clefts longer or equal to the lateral clefts. Corolla 2-lipped, upper lip hooded, with 2 recurved lobes, lower lip with 3 spreading lobes. Stamens 4, didynamous; anthers either forming a U-configuration by fusion along the margins, or with the upper pair free from each other, dehiscing by slits [or rarely free and glabrous], usually awned. Ovary 2-locular, stigma unequally 2-lobed.
Capsule loculicidal; seeds many, obliquely ellipsoid, longitudinally ribbed, scalariform between.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 200 species, northern & southern temperate regions, Malaysia. Australia: c. 20 species (endemic), all States except N.T.
Text by W. R. Barker
Taxon concept:
Taxa not yet included in identification key
Euphrasia ruptura
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Annuals | 2 |
| Perennials | 7 |
| 2 | Corolla yellow | 3 |
| Corolla lilac or white
Back to 1 | 4 |
| 3 | Upper leaves entire or with 1 pair of teeth | Euphrasia orthocheila |
| 3 | Upper leaves usually with 2 or 3 pairs of teeth | Euphrasia scabra |
| 4 | Stem to base of inflorescence bearing 1–5 pairs of leaves, mature plants less than 12 cm high; corolla white with purple lines | Euphrasia alsa |
| Stem to base of inflorescence bearing more than 5 pairs of leaves, mature plants usually more than 12 cm high; corolla white to pink, not conspicuously lined
Back to 2 | 5 |
| 5 | Calyx (and leaves) glandular-hairy; corolla lobes emarginate with margins glabrous | Euphrasia caudata |
| Calyx non-glandular-scabrous; corolla lobes rounded to acute, non-glandular, finely ciliate
Back to 4 | 6 |
| 6 | Leaves immediately below inflorescence, scabrous, with 2–5 pairs of teeth, the largest teeth 1.5–5 mm long | Euphrasia arguta |
| Leaves immediately below inflorescence usually glabrous, with 0–2 pairs of teeth, the largest less than 1.5 mm long
Back to 5 | Euphrasia ciliolata |
| 7 | Corolla white, with purple lines; anthers glabrous on back | Euphrasia ramulosa |
| Corolla white to purple, blue or pink, without prominent lines; anthers hairy on back
Back to 1 | 8 |
| 8 | Upper leaves entire or with 1 pair of teeth; confined to sandstone cliffs in the Blue Mtns | Euphrasia bowdeniae |
| Upper leaves with 2 or more pairs of teeth, or if only 1 pair of teeth then confined to coastal sites south from Green Cape
Back to 7 | 9 |
| 9 | Leaves subpetiolate, base long-attenuate; restricted to the McPherson Ra | Euphrasia bella |
| Leaves sessile, base cuneate to rounded; widespread from coastal to alpine sites, south from Torrington district
Back to 8 | Euphrasia collina |
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