Description: Shrubs or subshrubs, with few to many branches.
Leaves alternate, often crowded, simple, margins entire, mostly tapering to base, ± sessile.
Inflorescences dense, spike-like, often forming corymbose panicles, usually on a long peduncle; each flower sessile within a persistent sheathing bract. Flowers zygomorphic. Perianth tubular, ± straight, limb unequally 4-lobed, upper lobe usually broad, the 3 lower narrower and spreading. Lower stamen abortive, the 2 lateral stamens imperfect and united at first with the upper perfect stamen; filaments thick. Hypogynous glands absent. Ovary sessile; ovule 1; style filiform, dilated above with a short lateral stigma.
Fruit a small nut, with a flat or concave top, crowned with a ring of long hairs, the sides covered with shorter hairs.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 53 spp., endemic Aust., Qld, N.S.W., Vic., Tas., S.A., W.A.
Text by D. Mackay
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Leaves less than 3 cm long | 2 |
| Leaves more than 5 cm long | 4 |
| 2 | Leaves almost terete, less than 1 mm wide | Conospermum ericifolium |
| Leaves flat, sometimes twisted, more than 1 mm wide
Back to 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Leaves 1–3 mm wide, usually twisted | Conospermum taxifolium |
| Leaves 3–8 mm wide, not twisted
Back to 2 | Conospermum ellipticum |
| 4 | Leaves flat; erect or spreading shrubs; apices of tepals divergent at anthesis; perianth cream to white | 5 |
| Mature leaves more or less terete, channelled above; procumbent shrub; apices of tepals convergent at anthesis; perianth bluish or lilac
Back to 1 | Conospermum tenuifolium |
| 5 | Inflorescences many in the upper leaf axils, equal to or shorter than the leaves, peduncles to 10 cm long; perianth limb and perianth tube almost equal in length; leaves 4–10 mm wide | Conospermum burgessiorum |
| Inflorescences usually 1–4, subterminal, peduncles 10–40 cm long, mostly much longer than the leaves; perianth limb noticeably shorter than the perianth tube; leaves 1–30 mm wide
Back to 4 | Conospermum longifolium |
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