Stellaria angustifolia subsp. tenella (Benth.) C.H.Mill. & J.G.West APNI* Synonyms: Arenaria axillaris Luehm. ex Ewart APNI*
Description: Annual, spreading mat, straggly or shortly erect herb to 20 cm long, with many short, vegetative side shoots, rooting at nodes, glabrous or rarely scabrous.
Stem and inflorescence leaves a continuous series, sessile, lanceolate, narrow-ovate or linear, often falcate, 1.5–17.5 mm long, 0.4–2.3 mm wide, acute.
Inflorescence axillary and solitary or rarely 2 flowers on same stem. Pedicels 2.7–20 mm long, usually deflexed in mature fruit. Sepals elliptic to ovate, 1.3–2.4 mm long, obtuse or acute, apex folded over to form a hood, hood 0.1– 0.45 mm long, sometimes margins minutely serrate or ragged. Petals 2–3.9 mm long, slightly longer to twice sepal length, deeply bifid. Stamens 10, rarely 1 or 2 missing.
Capsule ellipsoid or ovoid, 2.5–3.7 mm long, equal to up to twice as long as sepals. Seeds 4–9, ellipsoid or suborbicular, 0.9–1.2 mm long, red to dark ruby red, tubercles semiinflated ridges.
Distribution and occurrence: The taxon occurs from Rules Point on the Murrumbidgee River, south to Lake Eucumbene, Hume Weir then west along the entire length of the Murray River system. In Victoria it occurs in the east around the Goulburn River and coastal areas near Sale and in the west, it is scattered through the Grampians and Dimboola areas. In South Australia it occurs in the Naracoorte to Mount Gambier area and in the Mount Lofty Hills. In Tasmania it occurs on thenorth and west coasts and is recorded from one locality in the highlands at Oatlands. Locally common in moist areas around swamps, rivers, lakes or dams. Often found growing in muddy or grassy areas after water has receded under open eucalypt woodlands. Found growing in rich damp soils.
NSW subdivisions: ST, SWS, SWP
Other Australian states: Vic. Tas. S.A.
Text by KL Wilson (Nov 2012); L. Murray Taxon concept: Miller, C.H. & West, J.G. (2012) J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 25: 35 & 36
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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