Sunday, July 15, 2012

Linaria arvensis

Linaria arvensis

Introduced plant (origin: garden escapee)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Common name: Linaria

Flower: many tubular flowers of mauve, blue, purple or white - upper lip pointed up, larger lower lip recurved, curved spike from back of tube. Sepals hairy. Spring is the main flowering period.

Leaves and stem: 10 to 40cm tall plant, simple or multi-branched. Lower leaves are whorled, upper leaves alternate, linear up to 3.5cm long and 4mm wide.

Habit: Erect annual herb, usually massed.

Habitat: In the Pilliga, the introduced plant Linaria arvensis grows chiefly in disturbed areas along roadsides and abandoned railway tracks, and pastures. It also occurs in Vic, but not in coastal areas.

Whorled lower leaves of Linaria arvensis

A multi-branched example of Linaria arvensis in sandy soil on roadside

Single-stemmed Linaria arvensis

Common habitat of Linaria arvensis in the Pilliga is in pastures