Lobelia gelida  |  

Lobelia gelida

Status: Vulnerable on the EPBC Act list

The snow pratia is a creeping, mat-forming prostrate perennial herb often producing roots from stem nodes. Leaves are linear lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, to 18 mm long, with margins that are entire or slightly notched. Leaf bases narrow gradually and leaves attach alternately to stems directly or they may have petioles to 1 mm long. Leaf surfaces are smooth and glossy, with the upper surface darker green than the lower surface (Carter and Walsh 2006).
Small white to faint lilac, fan-shaped flowers are produced at irregular intervals along the stems on pedicels 0.5Ð3 mm long. The five petals are 3Ð4 mm long and are united at the base into a tube c. 2 mm long that is deeply slit along the upper side. The five calyx lobes are 1Ð1.8 mm long. The five anthers are united into a tube, with the lower pair of anthers both tipped by a short bristle. Fruits are fleshy, nearly spherical and 1.5Ð2.5 mm long. Flowers appear in November and December, while fruits develop from January to April (Walsh & Entwisle 1999). The narrow shiny leaves L. gelida from other alpine or subalpine Lobelia species, particularly L. surrepens with which it often occurs. Little else is known of the biology or ecology of this species (Carter and Walsh 2006).

Government evidence of impact of climate change:

Expand all Close all
  • Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Lobelia gelida

    Effects on the species and its environment as a result of climate change Global climate known potential It is predicted that climate change will have a change significant effect on alpine plant diversity and on the structure and function of many alpine plant communities by impacting upon their physiology and timing of life cycles; and on their interactions with other species.