Lobelia fatiscens
| Lobelia fatiscens | |
|---|---|
| Lobelia fatiscens in Nelson Lakes National Park | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Campanulaceae |
| Genus: | Lobelia |
| Species: | L. fatiscens
|
| Binomial name | |
| Lobelia fatiscens | |
Lobelia fatiscens is a species of bellflower, endemic to New Zealand.[2]
Description
A small, creeping herb with white flowers. The leaves are glabrous and thin, without significant teeth. The leaf-shape and corolla are important for distinguishing it in the field.[3][4]
Distribution and habitat
Lobelia fatiscens is known from the South Island of New Zealand,[5] where it is found in Nelson and on the West Coast, as well as near Lake Rotioti in Nelson Lakes National Park.[3]
It generally grows near water or in wet areas, whether the water is standing like lakes, or moving as in rivers, streams, or roadside ditches.[3]
It is at risk,[1] as it inhabits wetlands that may be drained or disturbed and as it has to compete with naturalised species.[4]
Ecology
Lobelia fatiscens can be found amongst stands of kahikatea and kāmahi.[3] Lobelia fatiscens is generally found in wetlands, which means that it and its communities are threatened by wetland drainage and disturbance.[4]
Etymology
The term fatiscens, which means 'disintegrating' in Latin, refers "to the seeds being released by the disintegrating wall of the indehiscent capsule."[4]
Taxonomy
Lobelia fatiscens was recently split from other species, in 2008.[4] It is closely related to Lobelia fugax, which is smaller and which has a diploid chromosonal pattern of 2n=14, while L. fatiscens has doubled since the evolutionary split and has a patter of 2n=28. While most specimens are coastal, the population at Lake Rotioti has not been tested to see if it conforms genetically to the others.[4]
The holotype is from a dam near the South Island town of Charleston.[4]
References
- ^ a b "NZTCS". nztcs.org.nz. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
- ^ "Lobelia fatiscens". iNaturalist. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Lobelia fatiscens". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
- ^ a b c d e f g Heenan, P. B.; Knox, E. B.; Courtney, S. P.; Johnson, P. N.; Dawson, M. I. (March 2008). "Generic placement inLobeliaand revised taxonomy for New Zealand species previously inHypselaandIsotoma(Lobeliaceae)". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 46 (1): 87–100. Bibcode:2008NZJB...46...87H. doi:10.1080/00288250809509756. ISSN 0028-825X.
- ^ "Lobelia fatiscens Heenan | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2025-02-27.