Common name: Dwarf Kerrawang
Commersonia prostrata (Maiden & Betche) C.F.Wilkins & Whitlock APNI* Synonyms: Rulingia prostrata Maiden & Betche APNI*
Description: Prostrate shrub forming dense, low mats with branches to c. 1 m long and up to 10 cm high.
Leaves strongly discolorous, ovate or scarcely trilobed, mostly 2–6 cm long, 5–20 mm wide, apex acute, margins irregularly serrulate, scarcely or strongly recurved; upper surface mainly smooth or scarcely rugose, almost glabrous with scattered, stiff, stellate hairs above smaller stellate hairs, glandular trichomes absent, lower surface with medium-density to tomentose, sessile, white, stellate hairs above smaller, stellate hairs, glandular trichomes absent, juvenile leaves scarcely trilobed, petiole 10–20 mm long.
Inflorescences 1–12–flowered, longer than petioles. Calyx c. 3 mm long. Petals 1–2 mm long, pinkish.
Capsule c. 8–10 mm diam., with dense, small, white, stellate hairs, beneath dense bristles throughout, 1.1–3.8 mm long , shaft with medium-density, stellate hairs; apical hair with white, erect and horizontal arms; fruits spring to summer.
Flowering: September to November
Distribution and occurrence: In New South Wales from the Tomago sandbeds north-east of Newcastle to Victoria in the Gippsland Lakes hinterland. On sandy or peaty soils in eucalypt woodland, open forest or ecotonal forest. Recorded as responding to disturbance.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, CT, ST
Other Australian states: Qld
Threatened species: NSW BCA: Endangered; Commonwealth EPBC: Endangered
Commersonia prostrata differs from all species in this genus in being a low mat-like plant, rather than prostrate and sprawling or erect.
Text by B.J. Conn (2014); modified S.F. McCune (2019)
Taxon concept: Wilkins and Whitlock (2011) Australian Systematic Botany 24(5):277-279
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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