Astrotricha umbrosa A.R.Bean APNI* Synonyms: Astrotricha longifolia f. 'Tweed Heads' APNI*
Description: Shrub to 2 m high, erect, well branched. Stems, petiole and abaxial surfaces of leaves stellate-pubescent with individual hairs c. 1 mm across.
Leaves alternate, lanceolate to narrow-lanceolate, (50) 70–120 x (8-) 11–22 mm, acuminate, dark green adaxially, pale yellow abaxially, midrib impressed adaxially, raised abaxially; petioles terete 6–13 (-17) mm long.
Panicles terminal, 10–30 cm long, densely stellate hairy, brown to yellow in colour; bracts ensiform, 1.7–3.5 mm long. Unit inflorescence umbellate, (4-) 5–11 flowered; peduncles and pedicels slender, pedicels 3–9.5 mm long. Flowers bisexual, protandrous, 4.5–6 mm across. Hypanthium stellate hairy, 1–1.5 mm long at anthesis, campanulate; calyx lobes deltate, apex acute or obtuse, c. 0.4 x 0.4 mm, green to white, stellate hairy or mostly glabrous. Petals 5, deltate, 1.5–2.5 x 0.7 1.1 mm, white or pinkish, somewhat persistent; glabrous on adaxial surface, stellate-hairy on abaxial surface; apex acute to acuminate. Stamens 5, alternating with the petals; filaments terete, c. 1.9 mm long; anthers white, c. 1.1 mm long, versatile, dorsifixed, opening by longitudinal slits. Syles 2, 1.5–2.8 mm long; at first erect, later spreading from base, persistent. Ovules 1 per carpel.
Fruit a schizocarp, more or less orbicular in outline, 3.3–4 mm long, 3.9–4.3 mm wide, 1.2–1.5 mm thick, glabrescent; brown, splitting at maturity; mericarps 1-locular.
Flowering: September–October
Distribution and occurrence: Endemic to southern Queensland; extending from Kroombit Tops and the Boyne Valley to the Mapleton area. Also occurs in northern N.S.W. Relatively dense and shady open forest dominated by Eucalyptus spp. in sandy or sandy-loam soils.
NSW subdivisions: NC
Other Australian states: Qld
Similar in appearance to A. floccosa but differs in its ensiform bracts, shorter inflorescence and fewer flowered umbels.
Text by B.M Wiecek
Taxon concept: A.R. Bean 1997, Austrobaileya 5: 68.
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.
|
