Picris eichleri Lack & S.Holzapfel APNI* Description: Annual to sometimes perennial, 40–140 cm high; stem with few to many branches. Hairs mainly 2-fid anchor hairs, decreasing in size and density towards the apex of the plant.
Basal leaves 5–17 cm long, 0.4–1.8 cm wide, narrow-obovate to lanceolate, dentate, petiolate.Stem leaves few, horizontal to semierect becoming smaller towards the apex.
Flower heads few to many in a comybose panicle, heads 0.9–1.2 cm long. Involucral bracts 28–36, in 2–3 irregular outer and 2 inner rows. All bracts slightly tomentose to naked, velvety. Involucre reflexed in fruit.
Achenes 3.9–5.0 mm long; beak 0.3–0.7 mm long; pappus 5–7.5 mm long.
Flowering: Incompletely unknown, from specimens November to May.
Distribution and occurrence: New England Range and its western spurs, Mt Kaputar and Mt Lindsay, Warrumbungles. Altitudes above 500 metres.Habitat information is scarce.
NSW subdivisions: NT, ST, NWS
Variation occurs in the size and shape of the involucral bracts. Specimens with narrow bracts resemble to some extent Picris burbidgei, yet the involucral bracts of Picris eichleri are always without a line of hairs along the midrib, only a tomentum beign present.
Text by Louisa Murray July 2016 Taxon concept: Holzapfel (1994) Revision of Picris s.l. in Australia. Willdenowia 24 (1/2).
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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