Trithuria fitzgeraldii

{{Short description|Species of aquatic plant}}

{{Speciesbox

|image =

|image_caption =

|genus = Trithuria

|species = fitzgeraldii

|authority = D.D.Sokoloff, I.Marques, T.D.Macfarl., Rudall & S.W.Graham

|synonyms =

|synonyms_ref =

|range_map = Western Australia in Australia.svg

|range_map_caption = Trithuria fitzgeraldii is endemic to Western Australia

}}

Trithuria fitzgeraldii is a species of aquatic plant in the family Hydatellaceae endemic to Western Australia.{{cite POWO |id=77200441-1 |title=Trithuria fitzgeraldii D.D.Sokoloff, I.Marques, T.D.Macfarl., Rudall & S.W.Graham |accessdate=7 November 2024}}

Description

=Vegetative characteristics=

It is a diminutive, annual, aquatic plant with 12–30 mm long, and 0.15–0.4 mm wide leaves.

=Generative characteristics=

It is a monoecious species with shortly stalked or sessile, unisexual reproductive units. The two involucral bracts are 1.3–3.8 mm long, and 0.4–0.7 mm wide. The male reproductive units consist of two bracts, and have 0.8–0.9 mm long anthers. The more numerous female reproductive units, which surround the male ones, has two bracts, and bears carpels with up to 2 mm long stigmatic papillae. The ellipsoidal, indehiscent fruit is 0.31–0.52 mm long, and 0.16–0.32 mm wide.

Distribution

It is endemic to Western Australia.

Taxonomy

It was described by Dmitry Dmitrievich Sokoloff, Isabel Marques, Terry Desmond Macfarlane, Paula J. Rudall, and Sean W. Graham in 2019.Sokoloff, D. D., Marques, I., Macfarlane, T. D., Remizowa, M. V., Lam, V. K., Pellicer, J., ... & Graham, S. W. (2019). [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/tax.12026 Cryptic species in an ancient flowering‐plant lineage (Hydatellaceae, Nymphaeales) revealed by molecular and micromorphological data.] Taxon, 68(1), 1-19. The type specimen was collected by N. Gibson about 4 km North of Waroona in the Australian state of Western Australia on the 5th of November 2004.Trithuria fitzgeraldii | International Plant Names Index. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://www.ipni.org/n/77200441-1Holotype of Trithuria fitzgeraldii D.D.Sokoloff, I.Marques, T.Macfarlane, Rudall & S.W.Graham [family HYDATELLACEAE]. (n.d.). JSTOR. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.perth07514247

Etymology

The specific epithet fitzgeraldii honours William Vincent Fitzgerald (1867–1929).Trithuria fitzgeraldii D.D.Sokoloff, I.Marques, T.D.Macfarl., Rudall & S.W.Graham. (n.d.). The Australian National Species List. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/51351533

Conservation

It is not threatened.Western Australian Herbarium & Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. (n.d.-b). Trithuria fitzgeraldii D.D.Sokoloff, I.Marques, T.Macfarlane, Rudall & S.W.Graham. Florabase—the Western Australian Flora. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://florabase.dbca.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/49274 It is known from several localities.

Ecology

It occurs in ephemeral, freshwater to slightly saline pools at the edge of lakes or swamps. The substrate it grows in is clayey sand or clay.

References