Common name: Groundsel Bush
Baccharis halimifolia L. APNI* 
Description: Perennial shrub, 1–6 m high, glabrous and ± viscid; stems striate.
Leaves rhombic, elliptic or broad-obovate, 3–7 cm long, 1–4 cm wide, apex acute to obtuse, margins coarsely toothed in upper half, petiolate; upper leaves smaller and entire.
Heads in pedunculate clusters forming terminal panicles, yellowish; female heads 3–5 mm diam., male heads c. 3 mm diam.; involucral bracts 3–5-seriate, glabrous or minutely ciliate towards apex; outer obtuse; inner longer and acute.
Achenes 1–1.7 mm long, glabrous; pappus white, of female florets 10–12 mm long, of male florets 3–4 mm long.
Flowering: December–May.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows near the sea, often behind mangroves, also in swampy areas, low-lying pasture and disturbed sites; chiefly north from Sawtell, also in Wollongong area. Native of eastern N Amer.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC
Other Australian states: *Qld
This species is a declared noxious weed in some shires.
Text by M. F. Porteners
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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