''Levenhookia octomaculata'', the dotted stylewort or eight-spotted stylewort, is a

dicotyledon The dicotyledons, also known as dicots (or, more rarely, dicotyls), are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants (angiosperms) were formerly divided. The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group: namely, t ...

ous

plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...

that belongs to the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Levenhookia ''Levenhookia'', also known as the styleworts, is a genus of ten recognized species in the family Stylidiaceae and is endemic to Australia. The genus is restricted to Western Australia almost exclusively with a few exceptions: '' L. pusillas ...

'' (family Stylidiaceae). The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''octomaculata'' refers to the eight red dots this plant produces on each flower. It is an

ephemeral Ephemerality (from the Greek word , meaning 'lasting only one day') is the concept of things being transitory, existing only briefly. Academically, the term ephemeral constitutionally describes a diverse assortment of things and experiences, fr ...

annual that grows from tall with a simple or branched

stem Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...

. There are very few leaves that are obovate to spathulate and mostly around the base of the stem.

Scapes Parsons School of Design, known colloquially as Parsons, is a private art and design college located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. Founded in 1896 after a group of progressive artists broke away from established Manhatta ...

are

umbel In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin ''umbella'' "p ...

late and dark-coloured. Flowers are bright pink with white throats and two red dots borne on each petal. ''L. octomaculata'' blooms from September to October in its native range. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. Its habitat has been reported as being sandy soils in open ''

Acacia acuminata ''Acacia acuminata'', known as mangart and jam, is a tree in the family Fabaceae. Endemic to Western Australia, it occurs throughout the south west of the State. It is common in the Wheatbelt, and also extends into the semi-arid interior. De ...

'' or ''

Eucalyptus wandoo ''Eucalyptus wandoo'', commonly known as wandoo, dooto, warrnt or wornt, is a small to medium-sized tree that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of nine to sev ...

'' forests in compact colonies. Because this species is known from several populations that are not believed to be under immediate threat but are poorly known, this species has been declared a priority three species, which means it is under consideration for rare status but more information must be gathered first.Paczkowska, Grazyna. (1996)
''Levenhookia octomaculata'' F.L. Erickson & J.H. Willis
FloraBase, Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia. Accessed online: 11 August 2007.Erickson, R. and Willis, J.H. (1956). Critical notes on Australian Stylidiaceae, with descriptions of three new species and two new varieties. ''Victorial Naturalist'', 72: 130-136.

References

Endemic flora of Western Australia Eudicots of Western Australia octomaculata Plants described in 1956 {{Australia-asterid-stub