Appearance
This species is an erect perennial herb with 5–40 cm long narrow, grass-like leaves that appear from a basal rosette. A 15–90 cm long scape bearing the racemous inflorescence appears in the spring and summer.The flowers are butterfly shaped and pale or bright pink with petals paired laterally. The calyx and corolla are both covered in glandular trichomes. The pollination mechanism involving a sensitive "trigger"—a floral column, in which the stamen and style are fused—is unique to the family Stylidiaceae. In "S. graminifolium", the column is red and stamens are a greenish color.
This species, like most "Stylidium" species, possesses glandular trichomes underneath the flower and on the scape, which are capable of digesting and absorbing nutrients from prey captured in the sticky mucilage. This information leads some researchers to believe that the plants are carnivorous or at the very least protocarnivorous.
Distribution
"S. graminifolium" has one of the widest ranges in the genus "Stylidium", extending from Tasmania to Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland over to South Australia.
Habitat
Its most common habitat is dry sclerophyll forests with nutrient-poor soil conditions.References:
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