Cassinia thinicola Orchard APNI* Description: Compact multi-stemmed shrub 0.5–1.5 m high, densely branched; young stems with dense indumentum of grey-white cottony hairs and emergent gland-tipped hairs. Older stems with persistent leaf bases.
Leaves slightly flattened or ± terete, 15–30 mm long, c. 1 mm wide with a small pulvinus, margins revolute almost to midrib, tip rounded with a very short blunt mucro; upper surface dull mid-green, appearing glabrous; lower surface densely tomentose; midrib sunken above, prominent below.
Inflorescence a round-topped corymb of 100–150 heads, each 4 mm long. Involucral bracts membranous-cartilaginous, opaque white tip with green-hyaline base, inner bracts ± lacerate; bracts initially imbricate, becoming vertically 4 or 5 ranked at maturity. Florets 5–7 per head, cream with greenish base.
Achenes green-brown or grey- brown, 0.7 mm long, not or weakly ribbed. Pappus of 22–24 bristles c. 2 mm long, persistent but easily detached as a ring.
Flowering: March
Distribution and occurrence: Found only on consolidated coastal sand dunes and coastal cliff tops between Berowra and Forster, often in low, wind shorn shrublands.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC
Upper lamina appears glabrous but minute hairs are visible under a microscope.
Text by K. Ismay
Taxon concept: A. E. Orchard 2009
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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