About Stylidium calcaratum R.Br.
Stylidium calcaratum, commonly known as the book triggerplant, is a dicotyledonous plant classified in the genus Stylidium of the family Stylidiaceae. It is an ephemeral annual species. It typically grows 5 to 10 cm tall, but can reach a larger height of 20–30 cm when growing in damp forest or scrub habitat. This plant produces a small number of ovate leaves that form a basal rosette surrounding the stem. Each leaf is around 3–5 mm long and grows on a short petiole. Scapes range from 2 to 30 cm tall: smaller plants produce only a single flower per scape, while larger, more robust plants can produce up to nine flowers per scape. Flowers are pink or white, with red spots or lines at the base of each individual petal. The petals are arranged in vertical pairs, and will fold over to meet each other at night or during adverse weather conditions. S. calcaratum is endemic to Australia, with a distribution extending from Victoria through South Australia into Western Australia. It is recorded to grow in wet flats, or near creeks and seepages. Its pollination is carried out by a grey fly species, Comptosia cuneata.
