Centipeda nidiformis N.G.Walsh APNI* 
Description: Decumbent to ascending cottony annual, spreading to 15 cm diam., 15 cm high, adventitious roots not present or rarely produced. Branches densely white cottony at least on young growth.
Leaves more or less spathulate, 3–10 mm long, 1–5 mm wide, with slender petiole bases, shallowly toothed or subentire, surfaces usually densely cottony.
Inflorescence a single sessile flowerhead, terminal and or cauline, subtended by 1–4 leaf-like bracts. Flowerhead more or less globular, 2.5–5 mm diameter, involucral bracts densely cottony, receptacle depressed hemispherical, 1.5–2.5 mm diameter, female florets 50–230, bisexual florets 6–11.
Fruiting heads, soft, readily disintergrating when mature on still growing plants; bracts of heads widely spreading to slightly deflexed, fruiting receptacle 1–1.5 mm diameter. Achenes obcuneate, 0.8–1.1 mm long, usually strongly 4-angled (rarely 5 or 6) with 1 or 2 lines of vesicular trichomes down the centre of usually concave faces, hairs subappressed.
Distribution and occurrence: Most common in northern Australia and rarer in the south, the southern specimens of this species not always showing the cottony hairs on the branches and leaves. Margins of streams, waterholes etc. on usually clay or clay-loam soils. In areas of reliable rainfall, but relatively warm climate.
NSW subdivisions: CC, CWS, SWP, NFWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. S.A. W.A. N.T.
Longer corollas and concave faces on the achenes, otherwise similar to Centipeda minima.
Text by Louisa Murray
Taxon concept: Walsh, N.G.(2001) Revision of Centipeda. Muelleria Vol 15 ; 33-64
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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