Common name: Yellow Top, Western Beauty-heads
Calocephalus platycephalus (F.Muell.) Benth. APNI* Synonyms: Pachysurus platycephalus F.Muell. APNI*
Description: Probably annual herb with erect to ascending branches, c. 6–45 cm high, white-woolly to hairy.
Leaves alternate, linear to lanceolate, usually 5–30 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, ± glabrous to hairy, apex blunt to sometimes apiculate in upper leaves.
Compound heads broad-depressed to globose, pale yellow; general involucral bracts ± absent; partial heads with 12–22 florets, bracts c. 17–22, flat to concave; upper quarter to two-fifth pale yellow, ± constricted; outer bracts with long hairs around midrib, inner glabrous.
Achenes 0.5–0.65 mm long, papillose; pappus of 6–10 plumose bristles, lower plumes sometimes appressed or not well developed thus with terminal tuft, united at base into small ring.
Flowering: Flowers most of year, mainly spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in sandy soils, often in semi-saline areas, relatively uncommon, restricted to the north-west part of the region.
NSW subdivisions: NFWP
Other Australian states: Qld W.A. S.A. N.T.
Text by E. A. Brown
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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