Species:
	Lepilaena bilocularis
Common Name(s):
	None known
Threat Status:
	Naturally Uncommon
Status 2004:
	Sparse
Authority:
	Lepilaena bilocularis Kirk
Qualifiers:
	SO
Family:
	Zannichelliaceae
Flora Category:
	Vascular - Native
Synonyms:
	None
Distribution:
	Indigenous. Known from North, South and Chatham Islands. Also present in Australia.
Habitat:
	Aquatic herb of lakes, brackish water, or slow-flowing rivers. Usually found in shallow fresh water habitats not far from the coast.
Features:
	Annual, summer-green, submerged, rhizomatous herb forming small patches. Stems up to 20 cm long, thread-like, usually unbranched. Internodes 1-4 cm long. Leaves regularly alternate, leaf-base at first sheathing stem, to 4 mm long, becoming fibrous with age, leaf-blade 2.5-3.5 x 1 mm, entire, 1- or 3- nerved, with nerves extending to the squarely truncate tip. Flower enclosed within leaf-bases. Both sexes in separate positions on the same plant. Male on small 5 mm stalk (pedicel), stamen solitary, anther 2 x 0.6 mm, sickle-shaped, with 2 pollen sacs. Female shortly stalked (pedicellate), perianth-segments narrow-oblong, lacerate, 1.5 x 0.5 mm. Carpels 3(-4), style narrower than ovary, stigma funnel-shaped with long feathery margins. Seed (achene) 1.5-2 x 0.5 mm., asymmetrically oblong, yellow, smooth, narrowing above to style remnant c. 1 mm long.
Similar Taxa:
	Lepilaena is most likely to be confused with Zannichellia palustris which is a superficially similar indigenous aquatic herb of much the same habitats. This from Lepilaena by its much-branched floating habit, in having leaves arranged in false whorls of 3-4, and by the flowers arranged together within the sheathing bracts. Submerged plants of Schoenus maschalinus (Cyperaceae) are also superficially similar, but these are much branched, and will not flower when submerged.
Flowering:
	Flowers can be present throughout the year
Fruiting:
	Fruit can be present throughout the year
Propagation Technique:
	No information available.
Threats:
	As the result of field surveys it is clear that Lepilaena bilocularis is biologically sparse in its distribution. In the northern part of its range it seems to have been especially uncommon and there more than anywhere else is where it has undergone some range contraction. However that loss is insufficient to justify its listing as Threatened.
Endemic Taxon:
	No
Endemic Genus:
	No
Endemic Family:
	No

Where To Buy
Not commercially available

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Last updated: 18 Jan 2010