Trithuria submersa explained

Trithuria submersa is a species of plant in the family Hydatellaceae endemic to the Australian states New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.[1]

Description

Vegetative characteristics

It is a 8 cm tall, and 2-5 cm wide,[2] annual herb with glabrous, red, 15–40(–50)[3] mm long, and up to 1 mm wide leaves[4] and fibrous roots.[5] Individuals growing submerged in water are slender and green in colour.

Generative characteristics

It is a monoecious species with emergent, bisexual reproductive units ("flowers"). The several 2–3 mm wide reproductive units consist of (5–)10–32(–40) mm long stalks, (2–)4–8[6] ovate to lanceolate, 2–4 mm long bracts, 10–20(–35) carpels with 3-6 stigmatic hairs, and 2–4 central stamens with 2 mm long red filaments and purple anthers, which are 0.6 mm long. The three-ribbed, obovoid, 0.5–0.8 mm long fruit bears sculptured, brown, 0.5 mm long, and 0.3 mm wide seeds. It is a self-pollinating species.[7] Flowering and fruiting occurs from September to January.[8] Seed germination occurs in winter, once the seasonally dry habitat becomes wet.[9]

Cytology

The diploid chromosome count is 2n = 56.[10]

Distribution

It is endemic to the Australian states New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.

Taxonomy

It was published by Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1858. The lectotype was collected by R.C. Gunn in Macquarie River, Tasmania, Australia on the 6th of November 1845. It is the type species of its genus. It is placed in Trithuria sect. Trithuria.[11] [12]

Etymology

The specific epithet submersa, meaning "underwater", refers to the species aquatic habitat.[13]

Conservation

Under the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995, it is classified as rare.[14]

Ecology

It occurs in temporary pools, at the edge of streams, and seasonal swamps.[15]

Notes and References

  1. 163052-1 . Trithuria submersa Hook.f. . 12 November 2024.
  2. D.A.Cooke. Trithuria submersa, in (ed.), Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Trithuria%20submersa [Date Accessed: 13 November 2024]
  3. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. (2014, January 25). Trithuria submersa Hook.f. VicFlora Flora of Victoria. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/4b0fcf12-f7e0-4caa-9529-50b0f77be40c
  4. Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. (n.d.). Trithuria submersa Hook.f. PlantNET (the NSW Plant Information Network System). Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Trithuria~submersa
  5. Duretto MF (2011) 1 Hydatellaceae, 2011:1. In MF Duretto (Ed.) Flora of Tasmania Online. 4 pp. (Tasmanian Herbarium, Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery: Hobart). www.tmag.tas.gov.au/floratasmania
  6. Sokoloff, D. D., Remizowa, M. V., Macfarlane, T. D., & Rudall, P. J. (2008). Classification of the early‐divergent angiosperm family Hydatellaceae: One genus instead of two, four new species and sexual dimorphism in dioecious taxa. Taxon, 57(1), 179-200.
  7. Taylor, M. L., Macfarlane, T. D., & Williams, J. H. (2010). Reproductive ecology of the basal angiosperm Trithuria submersa (Hydatellaceae). Annals of Botany, 106(6), 909-920.
  8. Trithuria submersa Hook.f. (n.d.). Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/7022449
  9. Moschin, S., Nigris, S., Offer, E., Babolin, N., Chiappetta, A., Bruno, L., & Baldan, B. (2024). Reproductive development in Trithuria submersa (Hydatellaceae: Nymphaeales): the involvement of AGAMOUS-like genes. Planta, 260(5), 1-13.
  10. Kynast, R. G., Joseph, J. A., Pellicer, J., Ramsay, M. M., & Rudall, P. J. (2014). Chromosome behavior at the base of the angiosperm radiation: Karyology of Trithuria submersa (Hydatellaceae, Nymphaeales). American Journal of Botany, 101(9), 1447–1455. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43826701
  11. Sokoloff, D. D., Remizowa, M. V., Macfarlane, T. D., Conran, J. G., Yadav, S. R., & Rudall, P. J. (2013). Comparative fruit structure in Hydatellaceae (Nymphaeales) reveals specialized pericarp dehiscence in some early–divergent angiosperms with ascidiate carpels. Taxon, 62(1), 40-61.
  12. Iles, W. J., Rudall, P. J., Sokoloff, D. D., Remizowa, M. V., Macfarlane, T. D., Logacheva, M. D., & Graham, S. W. (2012). Molecular phylogenetics of Hydatellaceae (Nymphaeales): Sexual‐system homoplasy and a new sectional classification. American Journal of Botany, 99(4), 663-676.
  13. Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Water & Botanic Gardens of South Australia. (n.d.). Trithuria submersa (Hydatellaceae). Seeds of South Australia. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://spapps.environment.sa.gov.au/SeedsOfSA/speciesinformation.html?rid=4619
  14. Threatened Species Section (2024). submerged watertuft (Trithuria submersa): Species Management Profile for Tasmania's Threatened Species Link. Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania. Accessed on 12/11/2024.
  15. Western Australian Herbarium & Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. (n.d.-c). Trithuria submersa Hook.f. Florabase—the Western Australian Flora. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://florabase.dbca.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1141

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