Flora of New Zealand Series

Lobelia fluviatilis R. Br. Prodr. 1810, 563.

Type: Australian.

Very slender herb, glab. or nearly so; stems us. much-branched, creeping, rooting at nodes, forming us. dense patches up to c. 2 dm. diam. Lvs on filiform petioles ± 1 mm. long. Lamina ± 4-6-(10) × 2-4-(6) mm.; delicate, of diverse size and shape (often several forms on same plant), elliptic to lanceolate to narrow-oblong to obovate; margins entire to obscurely or sts distinctly denticulate; obtuse to sub-acute. Fls (6)-8-9-(12) mm. long, on filiform peduncles up to 10 mm. or more long. Calyx-lobes very narrow-triangular to filiform, ± 3 mm long. Corolla pale blue to white; tube entire; lobes linear-oblong; stamens inserted at c. mid-tube; 2 lower anthers awn-tipped. Capsule turbinate, ± 3-5 mm. long.

DIST.: N. Lake Waikare-iti, A. M. Jones; Lake Wairarapa, R. Mason. S. Lowland to montane streamsides and damp places, not uncommon.

FL. 11-2. FT. 12-4.

A polymorphic sp.; in situations periodically dry of compact habit with lvs of the smaller dimensions. Forms with distinctly toothed lvs may be mistaken for Pratia perpusilla in the absence of fls or ripe fr.