Stylidium is a genus of dicotyledonous plants that belong to the family Stylidiaceae. The genus name Stylidium is derived from the Greek στύλος or stylos, which refers to the distinctive reproductive structure that its flowers possess. Pollination is achieved through the use of the sensitive "trigger", which comprises the male and female reproductive organs fused into a floral column that snaps forward quickly in response to touch, harmlessly covering the insect in pollen. Most of the approximately 300 species are only found in Australia, making it the fifth largest genus in that country. Triggerplants are considered to be protocarnivorous or carnivorous because the glandular trichomes that cover the scape and flower can trap, kill, and digest small insects with protease enzymes produced by the plant. Recent research has raised questions as to the status of protocarnivory within Stylidium.
Stylidium violaceum, the violet triggerplant, is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium. S. violaceum is endemic to Australia and is found primarily in the southwestern region of Western Australia. It can grow up to 50 cm including the scape. The mostly purple flowers are 10 mm tall and 6 mm broad. Leaves are 5 cm long and about 4 mm broad. Flowering occurs mainly from October to January. S. violaceum is found in locations with sandy or loamy sand soil texture conditions on hillslopes, dunes, or winter wet depressions and swamps.
Stylidium adnatum, commonly known as the common beaked triggerplant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Stylidiaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia.
Stylidium turbinatum is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium. S. turbinatum is endemic to Australia and is found in the northern part of Western Australia in the Kimberley region and near Darwin in the Northern Territory. This species is an erect annual herb that stands 6–15 cm tall. A 2–5 cm long stem bearing scattered leaves terminate in a tuft of 1–2 cm long upper leaves. Several scapes appear from these terminal tufts. The inflorescence is a raceme, which produces pink flowers whose petals are vertically paired. The hypanthium of this species is turbinate and is one of the distinguishing characteristics used to identify it. The sepals form ribs around the hypanthium, giving it a turbine-like appearance. Seeds of S. turbinatum are pale orange and around 0.2 mm long.
Stylidium graminifolium, the grass triggerplant, is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium. This species used to belong to the Stylidium graminifolium complex, but the name was conserved for this single species when two others were split from the complex and introduced as new species in 2001. S. graminifolium is endemic to Australia and is the Stylidium species with the widest distribution throughout Australia. It is a perennial plant with grass-like leaves and is easily cultivated. It has been considered to be a carnivorous or protocarnivorous plant because it possesses glandular trichomes underneath the flowers that can trap and digest prey.
Stylidium debile, commonly known as the frail triggerplant, is a carnivorous, dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium. S. debile is endemic to coastal areas in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia.
Stylidium aceratum is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium. It occurs within the south west region of Western Australia
Stylidium calcaratum, the book triggerplant, is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium. It is an ephemeral annual that grows from 5 to 10 cm tall but can grow larger at 20–30 cm tall in damp forest or scrub habitat. The few ovate leaves produced by this plant form basal rosettes around the stem. The leaves are around 3–5 mm long on short petioles. The scapes are 2–30 cm tall and produce single flowers in smaller plants and up to nine flowers in larger, more robust plants. Flowers are pink or white with red spots or lines at the individual petal bases. The petals are vertically paired and will fold over to meet each other at night or in adverse weather conditions. S. calcaratum is endemic to Australia and has a distribution that ranges from Victoria through South Australia and into Western Australia. Its habitat is recorded as being wet flats or near creeks and seepages. Pollination is achieved by a grey fly, Comptosia cuneata.
Stylidium weeliwolli is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium. It occurs in the North West of Western Australia
Stylidium inaequipetalum, the Ayers Rock triggerplant, is a small herbaceous perennial plant in the genus Stylidium. It grows from 7 to 40 cm tall. Oblanceolate leaves, about 20-100 per plant, form a basal rosette with stems absent. The leaves are generally 15–81 mm long and 2–8 mm wide. This species produces 1-11 scapes per plant. Inflorescences are 7–40 cm long and produce pink flowers with petals all free and blooms almost year-round in their native range. S. inaequipetalum is endemic to the southwestern Northern Territory and Western Australia. Its typical habitat has been reported as sandy soils on sheltered creekbanks or in between rocks. S. inaequipetalum is most closely related to S. floribundum, though it is also closely allied with S. debile.
Stylidium imbricatum, the tile-leaved triggerplant, is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus Stylidium. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows from 12 to 50 cm tall and has divided stems covered with tile-like leaves that are arranged in a spiral formation around the stem. The ovate-elliptic leaves are basifixed and held closely against the stems. The leaves are around 1.5-1.8 mm long and 0.6-0.8 mm wide. Terminal inflorescences are racemose or spike-like and produce flowers that are reddish violet with laterally-paired lobes and bloom from April to May in their native range. S. imbricatum is only known from south-western Western Australia in Stirling Range National Park and Porongurup National Park south-east to Cheynes Beach. Its habitat is recorded as being sandy or laterite soils in swampy areas, rocky slopes, or heathland. S. imbricatum is distinct within its subgenus because it possesses obovate sepals. Its conservation status has been assessed as secure.
Stylidium leeuwinense is a species that belongs to the genus Stylidium. The specific epithet leeuwinense refers to the Cape Leeuwin region in Western Australia where the type location for this species is. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows from 15 to 60 cm tall and has divided stems covered with tile-like leaves that are arranged in a spiral formation around the stem. The lanceolate leaves are basifixed and held closely against the stems. The leaves are around 2.5-3.5 mm long and 0.5-0.8 mm wide. Terminal inflorescences are racemose or spike-like and produce flowers that are reddish purple with laterally-paired lobes and bloom from February to May in their native range. S. leeuwinense is only known from south-western Western Australia along the coast from Augusta to Denmark. Its habitat is recorded as being black, peat-sand soils in swampy areas or heathland. S. leeuwinense, along with S. preissii, is distinct within its subgenus because it possesses leaves without an apical mucro. It differs from S. preissii by its spike-like racemes.
Stylidium marradongense is a species that belongs to the genus Stylidium. The specific epithet marradongense refers to the Marradong region in Western Australia where the species is located. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows from 15 to 50 cm tall and has divided stems covered with tile-like leaves that are arranged in a spiral formation around the stem. The lanceolate leaves are basifixed and held closely against the stems. The leaves are around 1.5-2.0 mm long and 0.5-0.8 mm wide. Terminal inflorescences are racemose or spike-like and produce flowers that are shades of pink or white with pink at the base of the lobes and bloom from September to November in their native range. S. marradongense is only known from south-western Western Australia from Mount Saddleback to Marradong. Its habitat is recorded as being sandy laterite soils in open jarrah forest with other species such as Banksia grandis, Banksia sessilis, and Persoonia longifolia. S. marradongense is closely associated with S. preissii because they both lack throat appendages. It differs from S. preissii by its spike-like racemes, apical mucro, and conical, capitate stigmas.
Stylidium preissii, the lizard triggerplant, is a species that belongs to the genus Stylidium. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows from 5–18 cm tall and has divided stems covered with tile-like leaves that are arranged in a spiral formation around the stem. The broadly trullate leaves are basifixed and held closely against the stems. The leaves are around 1.9 mm long and 1.0 mm wide. Inflorescences are umbellate racemes and produce flowers that are white, pale pink, or dark pink and bloom from November to December in their native range. S. preissii is only known from south-western Western Australia from Bremer Bay to Israelite Bay with a few populations near Jandakot. Its habitat is recorded as being white sandy soils in open heathland. S. preissii is distinct within its subgenus because it possesses a strap-like gynostemium column with a dilated cunabulum.
Stylidium soboliferum, commonly known as Grampians triggerplant or bristly triggerplant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Stylidiaceae. It is endemic to the Grampians region in Victoria, Australia. The leaves are about 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) long and are arranged in a small rosette. The flowers, which appear on 5–15 centimetres (2.0–5.9 in) long stems, have white to pale pink petals with a darker colour on the reverse side. Plants occur along drainage lines and in moist areas amongst rocks.
Pultenaea tuberculata, commonly known as the wreath bush-pea, is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It has yellow and red pea flowers and is endemic to Australia.
Goodenia hartiana, commonly known as Hart's goodenia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect to spreading perennial herb or subshrub with lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, racemes of blue or purple flowers and oval to cylindrical fruit.
Dampiera rosmarinifolia, commonly known as rosemary dampiera, is a flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae.It is a perennial subshrub with linear leaves, mauve or purple flowers borne in leaf axils.
Olearia lepidophylla, commonly known as club-moss daisy-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to southern Australia. It is a rigid, erect to spreading shrub with tiny oblong to egg-shaped leaves and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.
Scaevola densifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae. It is a small, spreading shrub with fan-shaped cream or white flowers and is endemic to Western Australia.
