Poranthera leiosperma Halford & R.J.F.Hend. APNI* Description: Spreading annual to 10 cm high. Stems much branched at base. Branchlets procumbent or erect, smooth, glabrous.
Leaves sessile, alternate or opposite, widely spaced along branches, lamina narrow-obovate, 11–15 mm long, 2.1–4.1 mm wide, flat with margins slightly recurved, smooth and glabrous, apex obtuse, base attenuate. Stipules entire.
Flowers in short dense terminal umbel-like racemes; racemes solitary; peduncles up to 13 mm long; rachis up to 4 mm long; bracts narrow-obovate, 4–5 mm long.
Capsule depressed globose, 1.6–1.8 mm across, shallowly 3-lobed, ± smooth; seeds wedge-shaped, smooth.
Flowering: Flowers and fruits have been collected in January and from July to November.
Distribution and occurrence: Open shrubland and mallee communities, frequently with Triodia spp., in the understorey, in red sandy soils.
NSW subdivisions: NWS, SFWP
Other Australian states: N.T. Vic.
Poranthera leiosperma is most closely related to P. microphylla. It differs from P. microphylla by having seeds with a smooth rather than tuberculate surface, longer leaves (11-15 mm long as compared with 6-11 mm long) and longer stipules (1.3-1.6 mm long as compared with 0.8-1.3 mm long). Poranthera leiosperma also differs from P. microphylla in its slightly more robust growth habit.
Text by S.F. McCune
Taxon concept: Halford & Henderson (2005) Austrobaileya 7(1):1-27.
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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