Description: Small, heath-like shrubs, monoecious.
Leaves alternate or apparently opposite, often crowded, leathery with thickened margin; margin entire (in N.S.W. spp.) or toothed; shortly-petiolate; stipules minute.
Flowers in the upper leaf axils, the males clustered on short peduncles, the females solitary. Perianth segments 6, often larger in the male flowers than in the female. Male flowers with 6 free stamens and a rudimentary ovary. Female flowers with a 3-lobed ovary, mostly 2 ovules per loculus (1 in P. ovalifolius).
Capsule 1-locular, 1-seeded and dehiscing by 6 valves; seed oblong, smooth, carunculate.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 9 species, endemic Australia. Australia: Qld, N.S.W., Vic., Tas., S.A., W.A.
Formerly placed in Euphorbiaceae.
Text by T.A. James & G.J. Harden, Flora of New South Wales Vol. 1 (1990), in Euphorbiaceae; revised May 2017
Taxon concept: Australian Plant Census (accessed May 2017)
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Male perianth segments 4–12 mm long | Pseudanthus pimeleoides |
| Male perianth segments <5 mm long | 2 |
| 2 | Ovules 1 per loculus | Pseudanthus ovalifolius |
| Ovules 2 per loculus
Back to 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Male perianth segments 2.5–5 mm long | Pseudanthus pauciflorus |
| Male perianth segments <2.5 mm long
Back to 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Leaves broadly elliptic to orbicular; margins not conspicuously thickened, green | Pseudanthus orbicularis |
| Leaves ovate to elliptical or oblong to linear; margins conspicuously thickened, whitish
Back to 3 | 5 |
| 5 | Leaves 3 to 9 times as long as broad; stipules glabrous, toothed | Pseudanthus orientalis |
| Leaves 2 to 3 times as long as broad; stipules fimbriate, usually without teeth
Back to 4 | Pseudanthus divaricatissimus |
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