Common name: Soft Billy Button
Pycnosorus pleiocephalus (F.Muell.) J.Everett & Doust APNI* Synonyms: Craspedia pleiocephala F.Muell. APNI*
Description: Ascending or erect herb with many stems to 40 cm high.
Cauline leaves oblong to oblanceolate, 3–7 cm long, 2–10 mm wide, apex broad-acute, gland-tipped; lamina concolorous, olive-brown to green, with glandular hairs and septate flattened hairs, especially on margins.
Compound head single and ovoid or globose or branched below or from the centre, giving rise to smaller secondary globose heads; main compound head 10–20 mm long, 10–15 mm diam.; partial heads c. 40–60, sessile, each with 4–6 florets; main bract of the partial involucre with broad yellow scarious margins and a narrow brown thickened and glandular stereome, finely ciliate. Corollas lemon-yellow.
Achenes 1.5–2 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide; pappus of 8–15 plumose bristles 2–4 mm long.
Flowering: early spring to early summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in mallee and chenopod shrubland on sandy soils, usually on raised sites, west from Cobar.
NSW subdivisions: NWP, SWP, NFWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. S.A. N.T.
Text by A. N. L. Doust & J. Everett
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
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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