Common name: Fairy fanflower
Scaevola aemula R.Br. APNI* 
Description: Ascending to decumbent perennial herb to 50 cm high, with coarse yellowish hairs on stems.
Leaves obovate, 10–88 mm long, 4–31 mm wide, tapering towards base, margins toothed.
Flowers in spikes to 24 cm long; bracts leaf-like but smaller; bracteoles lanceolate, 4.5–7 mm long. Sepals basally fused, triangular, to 0.5 mm long, ciliate. Corolla 17–25 mm long, blue or white, with appressed hairs outside, bearded inside with all hairs simple; wings 1–1.5 mm wide. Anthers glabrous. Indusium to 1.5 mm long, with stiff purplish bristles at base ± equalling or exceeding those on lips.
Fruit ovoid, to 4.5 mm long, pubescent with short spreading hairs, wrinkled.
Flowering: chiefly August–March
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in dry sclerophyll forest usually on sandy soils; chiefly in coastal districts, south from South West Rocks.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, NWP, SWP, NFWP
Other Australian states: Vic. S.A.
Text by R. C. Carolin
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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