Lampranthus tegens
(F.Muell.) N.E.Br. Little Noon-flowerProstrate perennial, rooting at nodes; branches and leaves sometimes red-dotted. Leaves linear or slightly incurved at apex, triquetrous, c. 1 cm long (rarely to 2 cm), 1–3 mm wide, often glaucous. Flowers terminal on short shoots, single or occasoinally paired, 15–20 mm diam.; pedicel 5–10 mm long; receptacle obconic, c. 3 mm long; sepals triangular to ovate, c. 4 mm long, 3 broader than others and with membranous margins; staminodes pale pink, c. twice as long as sepals. Capsule obconic, c. 5 mm long, the apex convex prior to dehiscence; seeds pear-shaped, c. 1 mm long, brown. Flowers Oct.
VVP, GipP. Also NSW. Native to South Africa. Known in Victoria from a few sites near Port Phillip bay (Seaford, Aspendale, West Melbourne) where occuring above shores of subsaline waterbodies, sometimes bordering saltmarsh, but not part of the saltmarsh community.
It is interesting that this species was first described (as Mesembryanthemum tegens) from plants collected near Melbourne, prior to recognition in South Africa, its country of origin. Also naturalised in Sydney, NSW.
Walsh, N.G. (1996). Aizoaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 105–119. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
