Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 13, 2026

Samolus repens

Samolus repens is a species of water pimpernel native to Australia, New Zealand and near-by Pacific islands, and South America, where it is common in temperate and subtropic coastlines. Common names include creeping brookweed and creeping bushweed. Samolus repens has small white or occasionally pink flowers with a flowering period from September through to March or April.

Last revised
Jun 13, 2026
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Samolus repens
At Cape Otway, Victoria, Australia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Primulaceae
Genus: Samolus
Species:
S. repens
Binomial name
Samolus repens
(G.Forst.) Pers.
Synonyms12
  • Lysimachia sedoides Lehm.
  • Samolus ambiguus R.Brown
  • S. eremaeus Jacobs
  • S. littoralis R.Brown
  • S. platyphyllos F.Muell.
  • S. repens var. ambiguus (R.Brown) Benth.
  • S. repens var. incana (Labill.) Duby in DC
  • S. repens var. floribundus Benth.
  • S. repens var. paucifolius Benth.
  • S. repens var. procumbens Knuth
  • S. repens var. strictus Cock.
  • Sheffieldia repens G.Forst.

Samolus repens is a species of water pimpernel native to Australia, New Zealand and near-by Pacific islands, and South America (South Chile),1 where it is common in temperate and subtropic coastlines. Common names include creeping brookweed3 and creeping bushweed.4 Samolus repens has small white or occasionally pink flowers with a flowering period from September through to March or April.43

Taxonomy

The species was first described by Georg Forster in 1776 as Sheffieldia repens and placed in the genus Samolus in 1805 by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon.1 The following synonyms exist:12

  • Lysimachia sedoides Lehm.
  • Samolus ambiguus R.Brown
  • S. eremaeus Jacobs
  • S. littoralis R.Brown
  • S. platyphyllos F.Muell.
  • S. repens var. ambiguus (R.Brown) Benth.
  • S. repens var. incana (Labill.) Duby in DC
  • S. repens var. floribundus Benth.
  • S. repens var. paucifolius Benth.
  • S. repens var. procumbens Knuth
  • S. repens var. strictus Cock.
  • Sheffieldia repens Forst.
References

References

  1. Crusio W.E. (1982). "Het geslacht Samolus L.". Communications of the Dutch Waterplant Society (in Dutch). 2: 13–25.
  2. Crusio W.E. (1984). "Notes on the genus Samolus L. (Primulaceae)". Communications of the Dutch Waterplant Society. 6: 13–16.
  3. Harden, G.J. "Samolus repens (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) Pers". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  4. Johns, Louise. "Online Field guide to Common Saltmarsh Plants of Queensland". Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.