Leptocarpus (plant) explained

Leptocarpus is a genus of dioeceous rush-like perennial plants described as a genus in 1810.^[1]

The genus as currently conceived is entirely endemic to Australia. A few species native to other places were formerly included, but they have been moved to other genera.^{[2] [3]}

Species

The following species are accepted as of 2021:^[4]

• Leptocarpus canus Nees
• Leptocarpus coangustatus Nees
• Leptocarpus crassipes Pate & Meney
• Leptocarpus crebriculmis B.G.Briggs
• Leptocarpus decipiens B.G.Briggs
• Leptocarpus denmarkicus (Suess.) B.G.Briggs
• Leptocarpus depilatus B.G.Briggs
• Leptocarpus kraussii B.G.Briggs
• Leptocarpus laxus (R.Br.) B.G.Briggs
• Leptocarpus roycei B.G.Briggs
• Leptocarpus scariosus R.Br.
• Leptocarpus scoparius B.G.Briggs
• Leptocarpus tenax (Labill.) R.Br.
• Leptocarpus tephrinus B.G.Briggs
• Leptocarpus thysananthus B.G.Briggs
• Leptocarpus trisepalus (Nees) B.G.Briggs

Formerly included

Over 70 other names have been published using the name Leptocarpus, but they have been transferred to other genera, including the following:

Apodasmia, Chaetanthus, Dapsilanthus, Empodisma, Hydrophilus, Hypolaena, Lepyrodia, Meeboldina, Restio, Rhodocoma, Staberoha, Willdenowia.

Name in homonymic genus

In 1820, the name Leptocarpus was applied to some plants in the Verbenaceae. Thus was created an illegitimate homonym. One species name was included in the illegitimate genus, i.e.:

• Leptocarpus chamaedrifolius – Tamonea spicata

Notes and References

1. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2954406#page/118/mode/1up Brown, Robert. 1810. Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van-Diemen, exhibens characteres plantarum 250
2. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=252262 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
3. Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Volume II. Indigenous Tracheophyta - Monocotyledons except Graminae. First electronic edition, Landcare Research, June 2004. Transcr. A.D. Wilton and I.M.L. Andres. http://FloraSeries.LandcareResearch.co.nz.
4. Web site: Leptocarpus R.Br. Plants of the World Online Kew Science. 2021-12-15. Plants of the World Online. en.