Spergularia tasmanica (Kindb.) L.G.Adams APNI* Synonyms: Spergularia sp. B sensu Doust (1990) APNI* Spergularia sp. 1 sensu Adams & West (1996) APNI* Spergularia australasica L.G.Adams ined. APNI*
Description: Perennial with thick, woody rootstock. Branches erect to more or less decumbent from the base.
Leaves flattened, mucronate to shortly caudate. 10–80 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, glabrous to sparsely glandular-ciliate. Stipules acute to acuminate, sometimes forked, 3–7 mm long, shortly connate in the inflorescence.
Inflorescence lax, with dense glandular hairs. Pedicels much longer than sepals. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, 3–5 mm long, mostly 4–6 long when in fruit, occasionally with dark purple spots at base. Petals about 4 mm long, pink. Stamens 5–10.
Capsules ovoid, 6–9 mm long, up to 2 mm longer than sepals. Seeds broad pyriform to orbicular, 0.7–1.1 mm long, dark-grey brown to jet-black, bluntly to prominently colliculate-papillose, usually all scariously winged, or some wingless in same capsule, the wing margin entire to erose-denticulate.
Distribution and occurrence: Scattered in central and SE NSW; also in SA, Vic., Tas; New Zealand. A species of coastal and inland sandy swamps and saltmarshes.
NSW subdivisions: SC, CC, CWS, SWS
Other Australian states: Vic. Tas. S.A. W.A.
Text by Louisa Murray (2010); edited KL Wilson (Nov 2014) Taxon concept: Adams, L.G, West, J.G. & Cowley, K.J. (2009) Revision of Spergularia (Caryophyllaceae) in Australia. Australian Systematic Botany 21(4) 251-270.
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