Trithuria lanterna
Species of aquatic plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Trithuria lanterna is a species of plant in the family Hydatellaceae endemic to Australia.[3]
| Trithuria lanterna | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Order: | Nymphaeales |
| Family: | Hydatellaceae |
| Genus: | Trithuria |
| Section: | Trithuria sect. Hamannia |
| Species: | T. lanterna |
| Binomial name | |
| Trithuria lanterna D.A.Cooke[3] | |
_(W3).svg) | |
| Trithuria lanterna is endemic to Australia[3] | |
Description
Vegetative characteristics
Trithuria lanterna is a 10 mm tall and 30 mm wide,[4] annual herb[5][6] with very short stems bearing fibrous roots and basal, linear,[5] 5–18 mm long, and 0.8 wide leaves.[5][7] It often displays red colouration.[5]
Generative characteristics
It is a monoecious species with bisexual reproductive units ("flowers").[6] The several, sessile[5] reproductive units have 2–4[6] lanceolate, 2–3 mm long involucral bracts,[5] 1–2 stamens with 0.6–1.0 mm long anthers attached to[6] up to 1.5 mm long filaments, as well as 6-20 carpels. The ovoid-trigonous, 0.4 mm long, and 0.2 mm wide fruit with three prominent ribs is indehiscent,[5] or at least in one case dehiscent.[6] The ovoid, 0.3 mm long, translucent seed with a dark apex[5] is smooth.[5][6] Flowering occurs from April to June.[7][8]
Distribution
It is native to the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia.[3]
Taxonomy
It was published by David Alan Cooke in 1981.[3][5] The type specimen was collected by R.L. Specht on Bickerton Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, South Bay, Northern Territory, Australia on the 14th of June 1948.[5][6] It is placed in Trithuria sect. Hamannia.[9]
Etymology
The specific epithet lanterna, from the Latin lanterna meaning lantern, refers to the morphology of the pericarp, which has a three-windowed structure resembling a lantern.[5]
Conservation
Ecology
It occurs in ephemeral pools,[10] seasonal swamps dominated by Melaleuca leucadendron,[5] and stream margins.[8]