Gunniopsis septifraga (F.Muell.) Chinnock
Gunniopsis septifraga is a salt-tolerant herb to 10 cm high with green, succulent leaves that turn yellow as the plant matures. Its solitary, sessile flowers have rounded, pyramid-shaped buds (pictured) that open to reveal a whorl of 4 stamens that alternate with the green or yellow perianth segments. The anthers dehisce and deposit pollen on the style before the flower opens, leading to self-pollination. Cleistogamy (self-fertilisation within an unopened flower) is also suspected. It flowers from June to October.
The species is named for its septifragal capsules that break into 4 segments that hold the seeds. Like most members of the family Aizoaceae, the capsules are hydrochasic, meaning that they open in response to water. This remarkable adaptation allows plants to disperse their seeds into an environment ideal for germination.
Gunniopsis septifraga grows around salt lakes or in salt pans in halophytic shrublands, often forming dense carpets. It is widespread in southern Western Australia and South Australia, extending into southern parts of the Northern Territory and north-western New South Wales.
Photo: S. Dillon
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