AusTraits

Alternanthera denticulata

Explore the data for this taxon in the portal

Family Amaranthaceae

Taxonomy: Alternanthera denticulata R.Br.

Synonyms: 5 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Alternanthera denticulata (small-leaved form) (taxonomic synonym)
  • Alternanthera denticulata R.Br. - Alternanthera nodiflora R.Br. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Alternanthera denticulata var. uliginosa Domin (taxonomic synonym)
  • Alternanthera triandra var. denticulata (R.Br.) Maiden & Betche (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Illecebrum denticulatum Spreng. (taxonomic synonym)
Misapplied names: 1 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R.Br. ex DC. (misapplied)

Distribution (APC): WA, NT, SA, Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic, Tas

Profiles: APC, Flora of Australia, ALA, iNaturalist, NSW Flora, NT eFlora, SA eFlora, Vic Flora, Florabase, ATRP

Traits

Top source datasets: Britton_1994 (2), Catford_2014 (8), Cheal_2017 (6), Curtis_2012 (14), Draper_2023 (3), Jordan_2001 (6), Kew_2019_1 (6), Kubiak_2009 (2), Leishman_1992 (6), Mesaglio_2022 (1), Mokany_2015 (3), Munroe_2019 (1), NHNSW_2014_2 (10), NHNSW_2024 (6), NTH_2014 (3), NTH_2022 (4), NTH_2023 (13), RBGV_2022 (4), RBGV_2023 (11), SAH_2022 (3), SAH_2023 (7), Sjostrom_2006 (1), TMAG_2009 (9), WAH_1998 (1), WAH_2022_2 (3), Wenk_2022 (2), Wenk_2023 (1), White_2020 (38), Williams_2011 (8), Wright_2000 (10). See below for a full list of sources.
Summary: AusTraits contains 72 traits from 192 records in 30 datasets.

Traits by category (click to expand). For categorical traits, the values are listed. For numerical traits, the mean and range are shown.

fire response
flower morphology
  • sex_type (categorical): hermaphrodite (2); monoecious (1) [sources: Jordan_2001; Sjostrom_2006]
fruit morphology
  • fruit_length (numerical): 1.25 mm (1-1.5 mm) [sources: NTH_2023; RBGV_2023]
  • fruit_width (numerical): 1.5 mm (1.5-1.5 mm) [sources: RBGV_2023]
  • fruit_type (categorical): utricle (2) [sources: NTH_2023; Wright_2000]
  • fruit_fleshiness (categorical): dry (2) [sources: Jordan_2001; Wright_2000]
  • fruit_dehiscence (categorical): indehiscent (4) [sources: NTH_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023; Wright_2000]
leaf morphology
  • leaf_area (numerical): 259.33 mm2 (160-376.99 mm2) [sources: Catford_2014; Curtis_2012; Leishman_1992; Mokany_2015]
  • leaf_length (numerical): 35.36 mm (1.5-70 mm) [sources: Curtis_2012; NHNSW_2014_2; NHNSW_2024; NTH_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023; TMAG_2009]
  • leaf_width (numerical): 5.29 mm (1-8 mm) [sources: Curtis_2012; NHNSW_2014_2; NHNSW_2024; NTH_2023; RBGV_2023]
  • leaf_dry_mass (numerical): 9.87 mg (8.53-11.2 mg) [sources: Catford_2014; Curtis_2012]
  • leaf_mass_per_area (numerical): 41.3 g/m2 (29.16-53.44 g/m2) [sources: Catford_2014; Curtis_2012]
  • leaf_dry_matter_content (numerical): 0.15 g/g (0.15-0.15 g/g) [sources: Curtis_2012]
  • leaf_type (categorical): broadleaf (1) [sources: NHNSW_2024]
  • leaf_shape (categorical): linear (3); narrowly_elliptical (1); narrowly_oblong (1); oblong (1) [sources: NTH_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023; TMAG_2009]
  • leaf_margin (categorical): entire (4); toothed (2); toothed_dentate (1) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2; NHNSW_2024; NTH_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
  • leaf_compoundness (categorical): simple (3) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2; NTH_2014; TMAG_2009]
  • leaf_phyllotaxis (categorical): opposite (3) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2; NTH_2023; RBGV_2023]
  • plant_photosynthetic_organ (categorical): leaf (4) [sources: NHNSW_2024; NTH_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
life history
  • photosynthetic_pathway (categorical): c3 (2); c3-c4 (1) [sources: Munroe_2019; White_2020]
  • plant_growth_form (categorical): herb (12) [sources: Catford_2014; Curtis_2012; Leishman_1992; NTH_2022; RBGV_2022; SAH_2022; TMAG_2009; WAH_2022_2; Wenk_2022; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • life_form (categorical): hemicryptophyte (1) [sources: Williams_2011]
  • life_history (categorical): annual (6); perennial (5); short_lived_perennial (3) [sources: Catford_2014; Cheal_2017; Curtis_2012; Jordan_2001; Leishman_1992; NTH_2022; RBGV_2022; SAH_2022; TMAG_2009; Wenk_2023]
  • woodiness_detailed (categorical): herbaceous (5) [sources: NTH_2022; RBGV_2022; SAH_2022; WAH_2022_2; Wenk_2022]
  • stem_growth_habit (categorical): decumbent (1); erect (1); prostrate (4); spreading (1) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2; NTH_2022; RBGV_2022; WAH_2022_2]
  • nitrogen_fixing (categorical): non_nitrogen_fixer (3) [sources: White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • root_structure (categorical): non_mycorrhizal (1) [sources: Williams_2011]
  • parasitic (categorical): not_parasitic (2) [sources: White_2020]
  • pollination_syndrome (categorical): abiotic (2); insect (1); wind (1) [sources: Draper_2023; White_2020]
  • pollination_system (categorical): abiotic (1) [sources: Williams_2011]
  • dispersal_syndrome (categorical): anemochory (1); hydrochory (2); zoochory (1) [sources: Draper_2023; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • dispersers (categorical): abiotic (1); animals (1); water (2) [sources: Draper_2023; White_2020]
  • flowering_time (categorical): nnnyyyyynnnn (1); nyyyyyynnnnn (1); yyyyyyynnnyy (1); yyyyyyyyyyyy (3) [sources: Mesaglio_2022; NTH_2014; TMAG_2009; WAH_1998; White_2020]
  • seedbank_longevity_class (categorical): long_persistent (1); persistent (2) [sources: Cheal_2017; White_2020]
  • vegetative_reproduction_ability (categorical): not_vegetative (2); vegetative (1) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2; White_2020]
  • clonal_spread_mechanism (categorical): non_clonal (1) [sources: Williams_2011]
  • storage_organ (categorical): no_storage_organ (1) [sources: Leishman_1992]
seed morphology
  • seed_dry_mass (numerical): 0.26 mg (0.1-0.42 mg) [sources: Catford_2014; Kew_2019_1; Leishman_1992; Mokany_2015]
  • seed_length (numerical): 2 mm (2-2 mm) [sources: Jordan_2001]
  • seed_width (numerical): 1 mm (1-1 mm) [sources: Jordan_2001]
  • seed_shape (categorical): lenticular (2) [sources: NTH_2023; SAH_2023]
whole plant morphology

Sources

dataset_idn_traitsn_recordsreference
White_20201938M. White, S. Sinclair, and D. Frood. Victorian Vital Attributes Database. database. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Victoria, 2020.
Curtis_20121414E. M. Curtis, A. Leigh, and S. Rayburg. “Relationships among leaf traits of Australian arid zone plants: alternative modes of thermal protection”. Australian Journal of Botany 60.6 (2012), pp. 471-483. doi: 10.1071/bt11284.
NTH_20231113D. of Land Resource Management and N. T. of Australia. Northern Territory Flora Online. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: http://eflora.nt.gov.au/.
RBGV_2023911VicFlora. Flora of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2023. url: https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/.
NHNSW_2014_2810Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. PLantNET: NSW flora online. 2014. url: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Wright_20001010I. J. Wright, H. T. Clifford, R. Kidson, M. L. Reed, B. L. Rice, and M. Westoby. “A survey of seed and seedling characters in 1744 Australian dicotyledon species: Cross-species trait correlations and correlated trait-shifts within evolutionary lineages”. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 69 (2000), pp. 521-547. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2000.tb01222.x.
TMAG_200989Tasmanian Herbarium. Flora of Tasmania Online. 2009. url: http://www.tmag.tas.gov.au/floratasmania.
Catford_201488J. A. Catford, W. K. Morris, P. A. Vesk, C. J. Gippel, and B. J. Downes. “Species and environmental characteristics point to flow regulation and drought as drivers of riparian plant invasion”. Diversity and Distributions 20 (2014), pp. 1084-1096. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12225.
Williams_201188R. P. Duncan, S. E. Clemants, R. T. Corlett, A. K. Hahs, M. A. McCarthy, M. J. McDonnell, M. W. Schwartz, K. Thompson, P. A. Vesk, and N. S. G. Williams. “Plant traits and extinction in urban areas: a meta-analysis of 11 cities”. Global Ecology and Biogeography 20.4 (2011), pp. 509-519. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00633.x.
SAH_202367S. H. of South Australia. eFlora of SA, Electronic Flora of South Australia. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/.
Cheal_201766D. Cheal. Growth stages and tolerable fire intervals for Victoria's native vegetation data sets. Fire and adaptive management, report no. 84. Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment Melbourne, 2010.
Jordan_200166G. J. Jordan. “An investigation of long-distance dispersal based on species native to both Tasmania and New Zealand”. Australian Journal of Botany 49.3 (2001), pp. 333-340. doi: 10.1071/bt00024.
Kew_2019_116Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Seed Information Database (SID) and Seed Bank Database. 2019. url: http://data.kew.org/sid/.
Leishman_199266M. R. Leishman and M. Westoby. “Classifying plants into groups on the basis of associations of individual traits-Evidence from Australian semi-arid woodlands”. Journal of Ecology 80 (1992), pp. 417-424. doi: 10.2307/2260687.
NHNSW_202456N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on December, 2023.. 2024. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
NTH_202244D. of Land Resource Management and N. T. of Australia. Northern Territory Flora Online. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: http://eflora.nt.gov.au/.
RBGV_202244VicFlora. Flora of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/.
Draper_202333J. T. Draper, S. Delean, J. G. Conran, P. Weinstein, and B. S. Simpson. “Life-history characteristics and climate correlates of dioecious plant species in central southern Australia”. Australian Journal of Botany unknown.unknown (2023), p. unknown. doi: 10.1071/BT22110.
Mokany_201533K. Mokany, J. J. Thomson, A. J. J. Lynch, G. J. Jordan, and S. Ferrier. “Linking changes in community composition and function under climate change”. Ecological Applications 25.8 (2015), pp. 2132-2141. doi: 10.1890/14-2384.1.
NTH_201433Northern Territory Herbarium. Flora of the Darwin Region Online. 2014. url: http://www.lrm.nt.gov.au/plants-and-animals/herbarium/darwin_flora_online.
SAH_202233S. H. of South Australia. eFlora of SA, Electronic Flora of South Australia. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/.
WAH_2022_233Western Australian Herbarium. Florabase—the Western Australian Flora.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2022. url: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/.
Britton_199412D. L. Britton and M. A. Brock. “Seasonal germination from wetland seed banks”. Marine and Freshwater Research 45.8 (1994), pp. 1445-1457. doi: 10.1071/mf9941445.
Kubiak_200922P. J. Kubiak. “Fire responses of bushland plants after the January 1994 wildfires in northern Sydney”. Cunninghamia 11.1 (2009), pp. 131-165.
Wenk_202222E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant growth forms dataset”. 2022.
Mesaglio_202211T. Mesaglio. “Unpublished data: Comprehensive biodiversity survey of Wategora Reserve and Everley Park along Duck River, western Sydney”. 2022. doi: 10.32942/X29886.
Munroe_201911S. E. M. Munroe, F. A. McInerney, J. Andrae, N. Welti, G. R. Guerin, E. Leitch, T. Hall, S. Szarvas, R. Atkins, S. Caddy-Retalic, and B. Sparrow. “The Photosynthetic Pathways of Plant Species Surveyed in Australia's National Terrestrial Monitoring Network”. Scientific Data 8 (2021), p. 97. doi: 10.1038/s41597-021-00877-z.
Sjostrom_200611A. Sjöström and C. L. Gross. “Life-history characters and phylogeny are correlated with extinction risk in the Australian angiosperms”. Journal of Biogeography 33.2 (2006), pp. 271-290. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2005.01393.x.
WAH_199811Western Australian Herbarium. FloraBase: The Western Australian flora. 1998. url: http://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au.
Wenk_202311E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant life history dataset, University of New South Wales, Sydney”. 2023.