| Isotoma fluviatilis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Campanulaceae |
| Genus: | Isotoma |
| Species: | I. fluviatilis |
| Binomial name | |
| Isotoma fluviatilis | |
 | |
| Occurrence data from AVH | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Isotoma fluviatilis, the swamp isotome [2] or blue star creeper, [3] is a small herbaceous perennial plant in the family Campanulaceae, native to Australia.
This plant often forms a low growing mat. It is usually pubescent or sometimes glabrous and roots at nodes. The deep green leaves are 4 to 12 millimetres (0.16 to 0.47 in) in length and 2 to 8 mm (0.079 to 0.315 in) wide. The leaf blade is oblong, elliptic or linear in shape, or the lower leaves may be ovate or obovate in shape. [4]
It forms white solitary flowers that are axillary and can be bisexual or unisexual. Capsules form later that are obconical to obovoid in shape and slightly asymmetric. They are usually 3 to 6 mm (0.118 to 0.236 in) in length with a 3 mm (0.118 in) diameter. [4]
The plant flowers during the summer months between November and March producing a carpet of white-blue five-petalled star-shaped flowers that are ideal as groundcovers in garden beds, rockeries or between paving stones. [3]
I. fluviatilis prefers dappled sunlight or part shade and moist soil. It spreads via runners and is hardy in the US in zones 6-8. [1] In the UK, it is hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK, and is considered generally pest and disease free. [5]
The species was first formally described as Lobelia fluviatilis by the botanist Robert Brown in 1810 in the work Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae and later reclassified in the genus Isotoma by George Bentham in 1864 in Flora Australiensis . Several synonyms exist for this species including; Laurentia fluviatilis, Enchysia gaudichaudii and Rapuntium fluviatile. [6]
There are three known subspecies:
The species is often found growing in areas of moist sand or in mud along the margins of creeks and streams and seepage areas. It is also found among granite outcrops and wet depressions. It is found in south eastern Australia from southern parts of South Australia extending through much of Victoria, through much of Tasmania, eastern New South Wales and south eastern Queensland. [4]
Grevillea, commonly known as spider flowers, is a genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the family Proteaceae. Plants in the genus Grevillea are shrubs, rarely trees, with the leaves arranged alternately along the branches, the flowers zygomorphic, arranged in racemes at the ends of branchles, and the fruit a follicle that splits down one side only, releasing one or two seeds.
Hakea is a genus of about 150 species of plants in the Family Proteaceae, endemic to Australia. They are shrubs or small trees with leaves that are sometimes flat, otherwise circular in cross section in which case they are sometimes divided. The flowers are usually arranged in groups in leaf axils and resemble those of other genera, especially Grevillea. Hakeas have woody fruit which distinguishes them from grevilleas which have non-woody fruit which release the seeds as they mature. Hakeas are found in every state of Australia with the highest species diversity being found in the south west of Western Australia.
Prostanthera, commonly known as mintbush or mint bush, is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae, and all are endemic to Australia. Plants are usually shrubs, rarely trees with leaves in opposite pairs. The flowers are arranged in panicles in the leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets. The sepals are joined at the base with two lobes. The petals are usually blue to purple or white, joined in a tube with two "lips", the lower lip with three lobes and the upper lip with two lobes or notched.
Grevillea rosmarinifolia, the rosemary grevillea, is a plant of the family Proteaceae.
Patersonia, commonly known as native iris or native flag and are native to areas from Malesia to Australia.
Isopogon, commonly known as conesticks, conebushes or coneflowers, is a genus of about forty species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, and are endemic to Australia. They are shrubs with rigid leaves, bisexual flowers in a dense spike or "cone" and the fruit is a small, hairy nut.
Isotoma is a genus of annual and perennial herbs in the family Campanulaceae and are native to Australia and New Zealand.
Kennedia is a genus of thirteen species of flowering plants in the in the pea family Fabaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in this genus are prostrate or climbing perennials with trifoliate leaves and large, showy, pea-like flowers. There are species in all Australian states.
Dampiera is a genus of about 70 species of flowering plants in the family Goodeniaceae, all of which are endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Dampiera are subshrubs or herbs with sessile leaves, flowers with five small sepals and blue, violet or pink, rarely white, two-lipped flowers.
Asterolasia is a genus of seventeen species of erect or prostrate shrubs in the family Rutaceae, and is endemic to Australia. The leaves are simple and arranged alternately, the flowers arranged in umbel-like groups on the ends of branchlets or in leaf axils, usually with five sepals, five petals and ten to twenty-five stamens. There are seventeen species and they are found in all Australian mainland states but not in the Northern Territory.
Eucalyptus macrorhyncha, commonly known as the red stringybark, is a species of medium-sized tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has rough, stringy, grey to brown bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and hemispherical fruit.
Eucalyptus leucoxylon, commonly known as yellow gum, blue gum or white ironbark, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has smooth yellowish bark with some rough bark near the base, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three and cylindrical, barrel-shaped or shortened spherical fruit. A widely cultivated species, it has white, red or pink flowers.
Wurmbea dioica, commonly known as early Nancy, is a species of plant in the family Colchicaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a herb with three linear to thread-like leaves and usually two to seven white flowers with a purple or greenish nectary band.
Acacia pravissima, commonly known as Ovens wattle, Oven wattle, wedge-leaved wattle and Tumut wattle, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is an evergreen shrub native to Victoria, the South West Slopes and Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia.
Olearia phlogopappa commonly known as the dusty daisy-bush or alpine daisy-bush is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae that is commonly found in eastern New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. It is a small shrub with greyish-green foliage, daisy-like flowers in white, pink or mauve that can be seen from spring to late summer.
Isotoma axillaris, commonly known as rock isotome or showy isotome, is a small herbaceous perennial in the family Campanulaceae. It usually has blue or mauve star-shaped flowers from September to May. It may also be called blue star, star flower, or laurentia.
Olearia asterotricha, commonly known as rough daisy-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. A tall shrub with white, mauve or blue daisy like flowers growing from the Blue Mountains in New South Wales to western Victoria, Australia.
Lobelia pedunculata, commonly known as matted pratia, trailing pratia or blue star creeper is a perennial herb from Australia.
Prostanthera serpyllifolia, commonly known as small-leaved mint-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to southern Australia. It is a small shrub with small egg-shaped leaves and bright pink to red or metallic bluish-green flowers.
Cyanothamnus coerulescens, commonly known as blue boronia, is a plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae and is endemic to southern Australia. It is a small, spindly shrub with glandular stems, small, more or less cylindrical leaves and blue to pinkish mauve, four-petalled flowers. There are two subspecies endemic to Western Australia and a third that also occurs in three eastern states.