Grass Trigger-plants - natives (Stylidium species)

Common Trigger-plant (Stylidium armeria)

Grass Trigger-plant (Stylidium graminifolium)

The obvious difference between the two trigger-plants is in the width of the leaves.

• Leaves 4-8mm wide, widest above the middle. Common Trigger-plant (S. armeria).
• Leaves less than 3 mm wide, uniformly narrow (i.e. not widest above the middle). (S.graminifolium)

Both species grow in the district. A survey during the flowering season is desirable to determine the relative abundance of each.

Family: Stylidiaceae.

Native.

Occurrence: Widespread and common.

The flowers have a hammer-like knob on a bent arm. When the arm is touched by a visiting insect, it springs forward to attach pollen, or remove pollen, from the insect (and hence "trigger-plant"). The flower colour ranges from almost white to pale pink to deep pink. Trigger-plants are common in the alpine regions, where the flower colour is usually deep pink.

Photos all: Kalimna