About Stylidium adnatum R.Br.
Stylidium adnatum, commonly known as the common beaked triggerplant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Stylidiaceae that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. This species is scrambling with leafy stems, growing up to 10 cm tall. Its leaves reach 3 cm in length and 5 mm in width. It blooms in late winter and spring, producing small white flowers 3–4 mm wide that have red stripes. S. adnatum grows primarily in jarrah and karri forests, among reeds in paperbark swamps, and in heath along streams that flow into the ocean. It is also commonly found growing wild along cleared firebreaks in the Porongurup ranges, which shows it is tolerant to ground disturbance. This species has been cultivated by members of the not-for-profit W.A. Wildflower Society in Landsdale, where it is available for purchase by the public. It can be easily propagated from cuttings, and is robust in cultivation, though it can be damaged by sucking insects like scale. It has been found to grow well as an indoor potted plant when placed near a well-lit window with indirect or partial sun. Based on its tolerance to disturbance and performance in indoor cultivation, it is considered to have potential as a good commercial houseplant, that could appeal to the market segment interested in touch-stimulated plants such as Venus flytraps or mimosa. Stylidium adnatum var. abbreviatum (Benth., 1868) is a recognized variety of this species found in wild populations, distinguished by its short, dense inflorescence. This variety was discovered and named twice; the second published name was S. adnatum var. propinquum (R.Br.), and this name is no longer in current use.
