Stylidiaceae
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 Curtis's Botanical Magazine print of a Stylidium species.
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The family Stylidiaceae is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plants. It consists of five genera and 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 unique and highly specialized. In Stylidium the floral column that consists of the fused stamen and style springs violently from one side (usually under the flower) when triggered, which deposits the pollen on a visiting insect. In Levenhookia, however, the column is immobile, but the hooded labellum is triggered and sheds pollen.
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.
The genus Donatia is sometimes included in Stylidiaceae. The APG II system recommends its inclusion in Stylidiaceae but allows for the optional recognition of the family Donatiaceae.
[edit] References and external links
- Wagstaff, S.J. and Wege, J. (2002). Patterns of diversification in New Zealand Stylidiaceae. American Journal of Botany, 89(5): 865-874. (Available online: HTML or PDF versions)
- Stylidiaceae (at the Angiosperm Phylogeny Website)
