Common name: Conesticks
Petrophile pulchella (Schrad. & J.C.Wendl.) R.Br. APNI* Synonyms: Petrophile fucifolia (Salisb.) Knight APNI*
Description: Shrub to 3 m high, young shoots ± glabrous.
Leaves mostly 4–10 cm long; undivided part of leaf about same length as the divided part, leaf segments terete, erect or ascending but not divaricate and not pungent, glabrous.
Inflorescences terminal or axillary, spike-like, ± ovoid. Perianth 10–14 mm long, silky. Fruiting cones oblong-ovoid, usually 30–50 mm long; cones sessile or on peduncles to 10 mm long, terminal and solitary, or with several axillary cones close to the base; bracts pubescent at first, opening to release the nuts.
Nut c. 4 mm long, shorter than the bract with hairs often longer than the bract.
Flowering: spring to summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in heath and dry sclerophyll forest on shallow sandy soils; widespread in coastal situations from Point Plomer to Jervis Bay, also on the adjacent ranges.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, CT
Other Australian states: Qld
Intermediates between this and the following 2 species occur.
Text by G. J Harden
Taxon concept: D.B. Foreman (1995)
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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