Minuria scoparia P.S.Short & Hosking APNI* Description: Perennial, stiff, broom-like, sprawling to erect herb with branches to c. 60 cm long.
Leaves alternate, sessile although somewhat constricted and paler at base, entire, linear, mostly 12–28 mm long, 0.3–1.2 mm wide, glabrous or with scattered glandular and eglandular hairs, mucronate.
Flower heads solitary, heterogamous, radiate. Involucre 4.5–6 mm diam., multiseriate. Bracts c. 30–40, lanceolate, 1–3.2 mm long, 0.2–0.4 mm wide, with the herbaceous stereome divided, the upper margins and apex of the bracts usually hyaline, mostly green but apex purple. Receptacle flat, glabrous, pitted. Ray florets female, 29–37, uniseriate, almost white to pale pink or purple, the ray 3-veined and minutely bilobed; style branches pink. Disc florets male, 23–27, yellow.
Disc achenes laterally flattened, brown, symmetrical with a short beak and pappus of uniserate barbellate bristles of about equal length; ray achenes non functional
Flowering: Appears to flower for most of the year, flowering being recorded for April, June, August and November.
Distribution and occurrence: Confined to the North Western Slopes of New South Wales. It is known from four populations. Although restricted in distribution the species is in no way endangered. Apparently restricted to serpentinite-derived, skeletal soils.
NSW subdivisions: NC, NT, NWS
The name reflects the distinctive broom-like habit. Although restricted in distribution the species is in no way endangered.
Text by Louisa Murray Taxon concept: Short, P.S. and Hosking, J.R. (2000) A new species of Minuria (Asteraceae:Astereae) from New South Wales. Telopea 8(4): 407-411.
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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