Lobelia anceps L.f.
L. alata Labill. Nov. Holl. Pl. Sp. 1, 1804, 51, t. 72.
Glab. herb with erect to spreading stems and branches, up to ± 4 dm. tall, us. less; branchlets grooved and angled, ± narrowly winged. Lvs of rather diverse form, on flat petioles up to ± 10 mm. long. Lamina entire to obscurely to distinctly toothed, fleshy to submembr.; of lower lvs broad- to oblong-ovate, narrowed into winged decurrent petiole, (10)-20-40-(50) × (5)-8-15 mm.; of mid lvs subsessile, narrow-oblong to lanceolate, ± 20-50 × 5-10 mm.; of upper and subfloral lvs sessile, lanceolate to linear, 10-30 × 1-5 mm. On many plants the lf-shape is more constant. Fls ± 5-10 mm. long, on very slender peduncles up to ± 10 mm. long, occ. confined to uppermost part of branchlets. Receptacle cylindric, grooved. Calyx-lobes short, triangular to linear, acute to acuminate. Corolla white to pale blue, 6-7 mm. long; lobes linear to oblong, acute. Capsule ± 8-12 mm. long, narrow-clavate.
DIST.: K., Three Kings, N., S., Ch. Coastal to lowland to lat. 45° on east and throughout on west.
FL. 9-3. FT. 11-4. Also in Australia, Tasmania, Juan Fernandez Is, Chile, South Africa.
In N.Z. the sp. is polymorphic and plastic, well deserving cultural and genetic study. Coastal forms are us. more robust, with fleshier lvs than inland ones. The sp. is based on material collected by Thunberg at Cape of Good Hope and the original description is: "Folia radicalia petiolata, obovata. Caulis simplicissimus, spithamaeus, laevis. Folia caulina alterna, lanceolata, laevia, vix dentata, remota, decurrentia ad proximis foliis. Flores e summis foliorum alis, pedunculati, solitarii, parvi caerulei." Forms reasonably matching this description are not uncommon in N.Z.
