Cassinia leptocephala F.Muell. APNI* Description: Large robust woody shrub to 3 m high; stems reddish and densely hairy with spreading yellowish glandular hairs.
Leaves stiff, linear, 5–8 cm long, 1–2.5 mm wide, apex mucronate and slightly reflexed, base stem-clasping, margins strongly revolute, lower surface with midrib prominent, pale, densely scabrous with spreading stiff glandular hairs from tubercle bases.
Inflorescence a dense umbel-like corymb to 12 cm diam. Heads linear, 2–5 mm long, 0.6–1 mm diam., very tightly packed, inwardly curved; involucral bracts in 3 or 4 imbricate rows; outermost loose, hyaline and golden, glabrous or woolly at the base or woolly at apex and margins, the innermost appressed, broad-acute, hyaline, apex opaque bright yellow or greenish yellow. Florets 2 or 3, pale yellow.
Achenes c. 0.6 mm long, pubescent; pappus c. 2.5 mm long.
Distribution and occurrence: In dry sclerophyll forest, from the Sydney area to New England N.P. and west to the Nandewar and Warrumbungle Ranges.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, NT, NWS, CWS
Text by J. Everett
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the subspecies | |
| 1 | Outermost involucral bracts glabrous or woolly only at the base, the hairs inconspicuous | subsp. leptocephala |
| Outermost involucral bracts woolly especially at the tip and upper margins so that the heads of a whole branch are covered in a woolly mat | subsp. everettiae |
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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