Brachyscome procumbens G.L.Davis APNI* Synonyms: Brachycome procumbens G.L.Davis APNI*
Description: Perennial, rhizomatous herb with prostrate to weakly erect branches to c. 45 cm long, branches, usually glabrous; roots at least occasionally long-cylindrical and probably somewhat fleshy when fresh.
Leaves basal and cauline, alternate, tapering to petiole-like bases, green or flushed purple on under surfaces, obovate to narrowly obovate or oblanceolate in general outline, 20–80 mm long, 11–35 mm wide with 4–25 ultimate segments, sometimes more. All mature leaves glabrous or with scattered stalked glandular hairs and eglandular hairs as found on the branches, immature leaves may have a dense indumentum of glandular hairs.
Flowerhead 5–7.5 mm diam., on scapes manifestly exceeding the upper leaves, the scapes usually glabrous but shortly stalked glandular hairs sometimes present but only rarely moderately dense. Bracts in about 1 row, overlapping, obovate to oblanceolate but apices acute to subacuminate, 2.45–4.5 mm long, 0.4–1.6 mm wide, thinly herbaceous and usually with very narrow hyaline margins and apices, outer surface glabrous or with shortly stalked glandular hairs which may be few and scattered or form a prominent indumentum; stereome divided. Ray florets c.40, dark mauve, deep pink, mauve-pink, lavendar pink or blue with 4 veins converging at the apex. Disc florets c. 80, yellow.
Achenes flat with wings, obovate to very widely obovate, 2.1–3.1 mm long, 1.3–2.4 mm broad body of fruit brown, yellow-brown or sometimes dark greenish brown or greenish black, always darker than the wings; pappus a pale yellow brown crown of united bristles.
Flowering: September to June.
Distribution and occurrence: see subspecies
NSW subdivisions: NC, NT, CT, NWS, CWS
Other Australian states: Qld
B. procumbens is particularly variable in regard to leaf morphology but specimens group together on the basis of their having prominently winged achenes.
Text by Louisa Murray
Taxon concept: Short, P.S. (2009) A Revision of the Brachyscome linearifolia Group (Asteraceae: Astereae) from South-eastern Australia. Muelleria Vol 27(1).
| | Key to the subspecies | |
| 1 | Leaves with primary divisions only or mostly extending about a quarter to half way to the midrib, if extending further then only so in the formation of the lower-formed primary lobes of a leaf or when the leaves, mostly consist of 3 or 5 entire, primary lobes; secondary divisions absent or shallow and confined mostly to the upper primary lobes | subsp. procumbens |
| Leaves with most or all primary divisions extending to about the midrib; secondary leaf divisions preent on all or most primary lobes and extending up to half the width of the primary lobe | subsp. wombelongensis |
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