A taxonomic revision of the Australian species of Limnophila R. Br. (Scrophulariaceae

Abstract

In Australia five species of Limnophila are here recognized: L. arornatica, L. chinensis, L. fragrans, L. gratioloides and L. australis. L. gratioloides is an Australian native which has previously been considered conspecific with L. indica. L. australis sp. nov, is an Australian endemic related to L. gratioloides and to the exotic species L. heterophylla and L. aquatica. It has been confused with L. gratioloides and fragmentary material of underwater parts alone may in fact be indeterminable; nonetheless the two species are quite distinct on character-states of seed morphology, types of trichomes on aerial parts, occurrence of submerged cleistogamous flowers, floral morphology and occurrence of aroma in aerial leaves. L. fragrans and L. arornatica have been confused on herbarium specimens in Australia; they are, however, distinct.