Description: Shrubs, usually strongly erect, usually with a conspicuous indumentum of stellate hairs on most parts of the plant except the upper surface of the mature leaf.
Leaves simple, margins entire or almost so, or occasionally with basal lobes, upper surface ± glabrous when mature, lower surface smooth or rough with a dense even indumentum; venation often (especially broader-leaved species) visible in relief on the lower surface despite the indumentum; margin flat to revolute; petiolate to occasionally subsessile, stipules absent.
Inflorescence of stalked umbels arranged in often-conspicuous terminal panicles, often with 3 or 4 orders of branching, often leaf-interrupted near base. Flowers bracteolate (bracteoles directly subtending pedicels). Calyx minutely 5-toothed. Petals 5, outer surface hairy or rarely glabrous, inner surface glabrous. Stamens 5, soon falling. Styles 2, free, becoming recurved.
Fruit a ± laterally compressed schizocarp, tardily separating into 2 (rarely winged) mericarps (sometimes one abortive).
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 16 species, endemic Australia. Australia: Qld, N.S.W., Vic., W.A.
Text by M. J. Henwood & R. O. Makinson
Taxon concept:
Taxa not yet included in identification key
Astrotricha pterocarpa,
Astrotricha sp. Deua (R.O.Makinson 1647),
Astrotricha sp. Howe Range (D.E.Albrecht 1054),
Astrotricha sp. Mount Boss (P.Gilmour 7907),
Astrotricha sp. Quorrobolong (S.Lewer 40),
Astrotricha sp. Wallagaraugh (R.O.Makinson 1228),
Astrotricha sp. Watchimbark (P.Gilmour 7938),
Astrotricha umbrosa
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Some or all leaves more than 20 mm wide | 2 |
| Leaves less than 20 mm wide | 8 |
| 2 | Leaves broad-ovate or cordate, up to 20 cm wide, base usually cordate and rarely more or less peltate; inflorescence axes usually purple beneath the indumentum, often glabrescent; petals purple; fruit winged | Astrotricha cordata |
| Leaves narrowly oblong-elliptic to oblong-ovate or narrow-elliptic, base truncate to cuneate or rounded; inflorescence axes sometimes glabrescent and purplish, or hairy throughout and pale; petals purple, white to cream, or greenish yellow; fruit not winged
Back to 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Petioles ± 25 mm long | 4 |
| Petioles less than 25 mm long
Back to 2 | 5 |
| 4 | Petals greenish yellow, reflexed; lower surface of leaves with a thin even indumentum, with lateral veins, reticulum, and looping intramarginal veins all evident in relief through the hairs; leaves oblong-ovate to oblong-elliptic; non-basal bracteoles ovate to narrow-triangular or rarely linear, 0.8–3.0 mm long | Astrotricha latifolia |
| Petals white to cream, erect to spreading; lower surface of leaves with a dense, usually floccose indumentum, usually only the lateral veins evident through the hairs; leaves elliptic to narrow-ovate; non-basal bracteoles filamentous to subulate, 2–10 mm long
Back to 3 | Astrotricha floccosa |
| 5 | Petals greenish yellow, strongly reflexed; leaves oblong-ovate to oblong-elliptic, 20–80 mm wide; lower surface of leaves with a thin even indumentum, the lateral veins, reticulum, and looping intramarginal veins all evident in relief through the hairs | Astrotricha latifolia |
| Petals white to cream, or purple, erect to reflexed; leaves narrow-ovate to narrow-elliptic, rarely narrowly oblong-elliptic, 20–50 mm wide; lower surface of leaves with a dense, sometimes floccose indumentum, usually only the lateral veins evident through the hairs
Back to 3 | 6 |
| 6 | Petals purple, glabrous on outer surface; inflorescence axes deep purple throughout beneath the hairs, often glabrescent | Astrotricha roddii |
| Petals white to cream, with hairs on outer surface; inflorescence axes usually hairy throughout and pale beneath the hairs, or rarely glabrescent and slightly purplish
Back to 5 | 7 |
| 7 | Leaves 20–50 mm wide; indumentum of vegetative branchlets, petioles and inflorescence axes loose and floccose, easily dislodged; non-basal bracteoles filamentous to subulate, 2–10 mm long | Astrotricha floccosa |
| Leaves 20–26 mm wide; indumentum of vegetative branchlets, petioles, and inflorescence axes dense but not usually floccose, not easily dislodged; non-basal bracteoles narrow-triangular to narrow-ovate or rarely subulate, c. 1.5–3 mm long
Back to 6 | Astrotricha longifolia |
| 8 | Upper surface of leaves smooth or coarsely wrinkled but lacking projections, lateral veins evident to obscure on either leaf surface | 9 |
| Upper surface of leaves rough, the projections (variably conspicuous and subconical or inconspicuous and granulate, but detectable with a hand lens or a fingernail) sometimes restricted to near the margins; lateral veins not evident on either surface
Back to 1 | 12 |
| 9 | Inflorescences up to c. 6 cm long, few-branched, branches few-flowered; petals greenish yellow; leaves obovate or rarely oblong-elliptic, 1–3 cm long | Astrotricha obovata |
| Inflorescences 5–30 cm long, usually many-branched; petals white to cream or purple; leaves narrow-elliptic or sublinear to linear
Back to 8 | 10 |
| 10 | Apex of leaves obtuse; leaves linear, 2–6 cm long, 2.5–4 mm wide; petioles less than 2 mm long or absent | Astrotricha crassifolia |
| Apex of leaves acute; leaves narrow-elliptic, 4–18 cm long, 3–20 mm wide; petioles 4–15 mm long
Back to 9 | 11 |
| 11 | Petals purple, glabrous or nearly so on outer surface; mericarps 3-locular; inflorescence axes deep purple beneath the indumentum, often glabrescent; upper surface of leaves with lateral veins and reticulum strongly evident | Astrotricha roddii |
| Petals white, hairy on outer surface; mericarps 1-locular; inflorescence axes hairy throughout or glabrescent, if glabrescent then sometimes purplish (especially on sunward surfaces); upper surface of leaves with lateral veins evident to obscure
Back to 10 | Astrotricha longifolia |
| 12 | Inflorescences up to c. 6 cm long, few-branched, branches few-flowered; leaves obovate or rarely oblong or narrow-elliptic, 10–30 mm long, 3–10 mm wide, upper surface lacking granules but with few to many subconical projections especially near the margins | Astrotricha obovata |
| Inflorescences 3–30 cm long, usually several to many-branched, branches many flowered; leaves oblong to very narrow-elliptic or linear, 24–140 mm long, 1–7 mm wide; upper surface with granules and or larger subconical projections
Back to 8 | 13 |
| 13 | Leaves narrow-oblong to oblong-elliptic, 25–45 mm long, 3–7 mm wide, apex obtuse; inflorescences 7–15 cm long; petals creamy-green to white or occasionally purple in A.C.T. plants | Astrotricha ledifolia |
| Leaves linear or very narrow-elliptic, 20–140 mm long, 2–5 mm wide, apex obtuse to subacute; inflorescences 4–30 cm long; petals whitish
Back to 12 | 14 |
| 14 | Leaves linear, less than 2 mm wide, 20–65 mm long, margin recurved to revolute; lower surface of leaves between midvein and margins enclosed or narrowly exposed; secondary peduncles usually less than 3 cm long | Astrotricha linearis |
| Leaves narrow-elliptic to sublinear, 2–5 mm wide, 50–140 mm long, margins slightly recurved; lower surface of leaves clearly exposed; secondary peduncles usually 3–5 cm long
Back to 13 | Astrotricha asperifolia |
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