Common name: Mallee Hemichroa
Surreya diandra (R.Br.) R.Masson & G.Kadereit APNI* Synonyms: Hemichroa diandra R.Br. APNI*
Polycnemum diandrum (R.Br.) F.Muell. APNI*
Description: Spreading, ± dense, woody herb or subshrub to shrub to 0.3 (-0.6) m high; much-branched at/near ground level from woody stem bases; branches prostrate to decumbent - ascending, glabrous or minutely hairy - papillate on younger stems.
Leaves alternate (to subopposite), sessile, variable in shape, oblong-elliptic to obovate or lanceolate to linear (sometimes broadening towards apex), c. 3–8 mm long (up to c. 16 mm long in some non New South Wales specimens), c. 1–2 mm wide, fleshy (variably succulent depending on season), green to bluish green or reddish, glabrous or with sparse minute hairs, with shortly pointed, often recurved tip.
Flowers solitary and sessile in leaf axils; perianth white to pink, subtended by 2 bracteoles; tepals 5, ± narrowly ovate, to 5 mm long; stamens 2, filaments pink/red, anthers yellow.
Fruit indehiscent, membranous, ovoid utricle, to 3 mm long; seeds ellipsoid to obovoid, brown, smooth.
Distribution and occurrence: known from the Nanya Station area, c. 120 km NW of Mildura. salt lake/pan margin, saline soils, in chenopod shrubland.
NSW subdivisions: SFWP
Other Australian states: Qld N.T. Vic. S.A. W.A.
Text by P.G. Kodela (January 2017)
Taxon concept: R. Masson & G. Kadereit, Phylogeny of Polycnemoideae (Amaranthaceae): Implications for biogeography, character evolution and taxonomy. Taxon 62(1): 109 (2013); accepted by Australian Plant Census.
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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