Common name: Desert Rice-flower
Pimelea simplex F.Muell. APNI* Description: Plant 15–40 cm high, mainly herbaceous but woody at the base; stems hairy.
Leaves alternate, linear to narrow-elliptic, mostly 5–20 mm long, 1–3 mm wide, both surfaces with very sparse loosely appressed hairs, often glabrescent with age; sometimes blue-green when dry.
Flowers in racemes, compact at maturity; peduncle and rachis densely white-pubescent. Bracts absent. Flowers bisexual, 4–7 mm long, greenish to white, densely covered with white spreading hairs.
Fruit green, 3–4 mm long.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread in inland areas. Toxic to stock.
NSW subdivisions: NT, CWS, NWP, NFWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. S.A.
Text by G. J. Harden
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the subspecies | |
| 1 | Peduncles to 15 mm long; inflorescence remaining condensed or elongating to 10 mm at maturity; hairs on pedicels long. Slender plants with stems red at base. Flowers 4–6 mm long, densely covered with short antrorse hairs | subsp. simplex |
| Peduncles to 30 mm long; inflorescence elongating, usually 10–18 mm at maturity; hairs on pedicels short. Sturdy plant with stems green or brown at the base. Flowers 5–7 mm long, densely covered with fine spreading hairs | subsp. continua |
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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