Lobelia linnaeoides
Common name
mountain lobelia
Synonyms
Pratia linnaeoides Hook. f
Family
Campanulaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
LOBLIN
Chromosome number
2n = 14
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (from Marlborough to Southland)
Habitat
Higher montane to alpine grassland and shrubland, often on patches of bare ground
Features
Glabrous or glabrate creeping herb. Sap clear. Stems up to 15 mm long (rarely more), simple or sparingly branched, slender, rooting at nodes, usually decumbent. Leaves subsessile, rather thick and fleshy, 4-8 × 4-8 mm, ± orbicular, rather coarsely sinuate-dentate in upper ½, dark green or grey-green, often purplish below. Flowers 8-12 mm long, on very slender (almost wiry), filiform peduncles 50-100 mm long. Calyx c.4 mm long, deeply divided to c.½ way, 4 mm long; lobes c.2 mm long, very narrow-triangular, acuminate. Corolla 8-10 mm long, white, pale blue, mauve or pale pink, deeper coloured in bud; lower lobes obovate or obovate-oblong, ± apiculate, upper lobes linear-oblong, acute. Capsule 5-9 × 3-4 mm; narrow-obovoid to turbinate
Similar taxa
Distinguished from the other New Zealand lobelia by the montane to alpine grassland habitat preference; prostrate, creeping growth habit, clear sap, dark green to grey-green, thick (almost succulent), glabrous or glabrate, coarsely sinuate-dentate, subsessile, orbicular leaves; usually pale blue or pale pink flowers with linear-oblong corolla lobes; and by the loculicidally dehiscent narrow-obovoid to turbinate capsule, with the apical part of the capsule splitting at the apex by two valves).
Flowering
December – February
Flower colours
Blue, White
Fruiting
January - April
Propagation technique
Easily grown from rooted pieces and fresh seed. Prefers a cool root run. Dislikes humidity. Best in a free draining site within a rock garden or grown within a pot in an alpine house.
Etymology
lobelia: Named after Lobel, pioneer botanist
Attribution
Description modified from Webb et al. (1998).
References and further reading
Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. 1988: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. IV. DSIR Botany Division, Christchurch.