Stylidiaceae

The family Stylidiaceae is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plants. It consists of five genera with over 240 species, most of which are endemic to Australia and New Zealand. Members of Stylidiaceae are typically grass-like herbs or small shrubs and can be perennials or annuals. Most species are free standing or self-supporting, though a few can be climbing or scrambling (Stylidium scandens uses leaf tips recurved into hooks to climb). The pollination mechanisms of Stylidium and Levenhookia are as follows: In Stylidium the floral column, which consists of the fused stamen and style, springs violently from one side (usually under the flower) when triggered. This deposits the pollen on a visiting insect. In Levenhookia, however, the column is immobile, but the hooded labellum is triggered and sheds pollen. In 1981, only about 155 species were known in the family. The current number of species by genus (reported in 2002) is as follows: Forstera - 5, Levenhookia - 10, Oreostylidium - 1, Phyllachne - 4, and Stylidium - 221. These numbers, especially for Stylidium, are changing rapidly as new species are described. Stylidium rotundifolium appeared in Joseph Banks' Florilegium (plate 173), drawn from a specimen collected at Endeavour River, Australia in 1770.