Common name: Trailing Lobelia
Lobelia andrewsii Lammers APNI*
Synonyms: Lobelia gracilis Andrews APNI*
Description: Erect to shortly decumbent herb, usually < 30 cm high, glabrous.
Leaves 1–5.5 cm long, 2–12 mm wide; lowest ones ovate, deeply cut and petiolate; upper leaves lanceolate and pinnatifid becoming linear with margins toothed to entire and ± sessile.
Inflorescence raceme-like, 1-sided, to 12-flowered; pedicels to 20 mm long in fruit. Calyx lobes 3–5 mm long. Corolla to 17 mm long, dark blue or violet, pale at base; tube 4.5–7 mm long; middle lower lobe obovate, lateral ones oblong or obovate-oblong, 2 upper lobes incurved and pilose. All anthers with a dense brush of apical hairs.
Capsule obliquely ovoid, swollen on upper side, 3.5–4 mm long and diam.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in rock crevices in forest and heath usually on sandy soils; north from Royal N.P., and inland to Howell and west of Tenterfield.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, NT, NWS
Other Australian states: Qld
Text by B. Wiecek. Updated by Peter G. Wilson June 2010.
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992). The previous name, Lobelia gracilis, was found to be illegitimate and a new name given.
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.