Lindernia pusilla ( Wannan 1379 : BRI). Photo: B. Wannan. 

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... genus Lindernia All. (Linderniaceae Borsch, K.Müll. & Eb.Fisch.) is a pan- tropical genus represented in Australia by approximately 50 species. In Australia, many of the species are yet to be formally named, especially those from the Northern Territory. During the current taxonomic revision of Lindernia in Queensland (Wannan in prep.) two new species have been recorded, namely: Lindernia pusilla (Willd.) Bold., which is a new record for Australia and L. tectanthera W.R.Barker, which is a new record for Queensland. Lindernia pusilla (Willd.) Bold., Zakfl. Java 165 (1916); Gratiola pusilla Willd., Sp. P1. ed. 4 , 1(1): 105 (1797); Pyxidaria pusilla (Willd.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 2: 468 (1891); Vandellia pusilla (Willd.) Merr., Philipp. J. Sci. Bot . 7: 246 (1912). Type: India, s.dat., s.coll. (holo: B–W 377). Weakly erect herb to 10 cm. Stems decumbent, densely pubescent with filamentous trichomes to 1 mm. Leaves simple opposite, very shortly petiolate or subsessile, petioles up to 1 mm. long, hirsute; lamina 5–15(20) mm long, 3–15 mm. wide, broadly ovate to subcircular to cordate, crenate-dentate, filamentous trichomes on both sides but more densely below; 5-nerved from base of leaf. Flowers axillary, in clusters of 1–3 per axil; pedicels slender, to 20 mm in flowers, 30 mm in fruit, with stalked glandular trichomes. Calyx deeply 5-lobed, almost to the base, lobes 3–4 mm long, single nerved and with stalked glandular and filamentous trichomes; margin finely serrate, scarious. Corolla 5–8.5 mm. long, white to pale violet to purple; tube externally glabrous or with sparse stalked glandular trichomes, internally with stalked glandular trichomes near antero-lateral ridges, otherwise glabrous; upper lip narrow emarginate; lower lip 3-lobed. Stamens 4, fertile, cohering in pairs; upper filaments 1–1.5 mm. long, glabrous; lower filaments 3–4 mm long, broadly geniculate just above the base, forming a ‘webbed’ bend. Ovary c . 1 mm; style 5–7 mm. Capsule subglobose to ovoid, more or less equal in length to the calyx. Seeds light brown, cylindric, 0.5 × 0.3 mm, with up to 8 longitudinal ribs. Fig. 1. Notes : Lindernia pusilla was first recognised in Australia from a collection made in 1999 just north of Coen beside the Peninsula Developmental Road, Queensland ( Wannan BSW1379). Despite searches, no further localities have been recorded on Cape York Peninsula. During subsequent examination of Lindernia collections at AD a further collection was identified from the Northern Territory ( Russell-Smith 3380 & Lucas ). These sites remain the only known Australian localities. According to Philcox (1968), Lindernia pusilla is widespread in the Indian subcontinent, China, Myanmar, Thailand and Malesia (Borneo, Celebes, Java, Malay Peninsula, Moluccas, Philippines, Sumatra and mainland New Guinea) up to an altitude of 1600 metres. It has also subsequently been recorded from the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea (Peekel 1984). The Australian material is a good match with the type and Malesian material ( cf . Wannan UNSW16578 ) based on its morphology and, for the latter, seed anatomy. Although a key to Queensland species will be provided in the revision (Wannan in prep.), L. pusilla can be distinguished from other Australian Lindernia by its multiple (pink) flowers per axil, long (to 30 mm) pedicels, and its stems pubescent with filamentous trichomes. Lindernia tectanthera W.R.Barker, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 13: 86–87 (1990). Type: Western Australia. K imberley R egion : 23.3 km along King River Road, 25 April 1983, R.M. Barker 284 (holo: AD). Erect, sometimes decumbent, glabrous annual herb, 8–40 cm tall, with slender scapiform stems arising from a basal cluster of leaves; sometimes with stem branched in upper parts below the terminal inflorescence. Leaves at the base spathulate, 6–22 mm long, with the petiole 1–5 mm long, the blade ovate to obovate, sometimes narrowly so, 3–15 × 1.5–8 mm, entire, with midvein. Cauline leaves/ bracts subulate, 1–4 mm × 1–2 mm. Inflorescence terminal racemes or panicles; pedicels 5–32 mm at anthesis and erect, 15–40 mm in fruit and sometimes deflexed. Calyx 2–4.5 mm long; sepals 5, equal, divided almost to base, triangular, 3-nerved, often reddened. Corolla 2-lipped, with internal longitudinal flaps enclosing stamens and style; stalked glandular trichomes externally; white, with purple or mauve; tube 6–7 mm; upper lip recurved, 1.5–2 mm long, shallowly emarginate; lower lip widely spreading, 4–6.5 mm long, the lobes shallowly emarginate, the mid lobe wider than the laterals. Stamens with upper 2 stamens functional, filaments c. 1 mm; anthers 0.5–0.8 mm long, yellow, with 2 locules end to end, approximately 180° divergent; lower stamens sterile, anthers represented by 2 appendages geniculate at summit, proximally thick, near the apex often bearing a minute anther vestige. Ovary 1–1.5 mm, glabrous, style c . 5 mm, glabrous. Capsule ovoid, 4–5 × 2.5 mm, thin-walled, yellow-brown; seeds broad obovoid to oblong-ellipsoid, 0.3–0.35 × 0.2–0.25 mm, light brown, with 4 longitudinal angles and 4–6 transverse ridges. Fig. 2. Notes: Lindernia tectanthera was first described from the Kimberley region of Western Australia (Barker 1990). This species has been recently confirmed from west of Chillagoe in Queensland and is a good match with material from the Kimberley including the holotype, based on morphology and seed anatomy. Examination of Fox IDF2002 (Staaten River NP) has shown it to be also L. tectanthera . Queensland specimens of this taxon have been previously incorrectly determined as Lindernia lobelioides (F.Muell.) F.Muell., a Northern Territory species. Lindernia tectanthera has been recorded widely from the Top End and Kimberley regions. The species typically occurs in moist areas often on the margin of sandy rises. It is distinguished from other Queensland species by its usual basal rosette of leaves and its upper corolla with a longitudinal flap which encloses the anthers and style. Thanks to Darren Crayn (CNS) for his support of the project and the directors of AD, BRI, CANB, DNA, MEL, NSW and UNSW for loans and/or access to collections. This work has been supported by Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) National Taxonomy Research Grant Program CN211-26 which has been undertaken at the Australian Tropical ...