Pseudanthus orbicularis (Müll.Arg.) Halford & R.J.F.Hend. APNI* Synonyms: Caletia divaricatissima var. orbicularis Müll.Arg. APNI*
Description: Compact shrub to 1.5 m high, divaricately branching.
Leaves opposite, broadly elliptic to orbicular, 1.4–3.6 mm long, 1.2–2.3 mm wide.
Flowers solitary, in axils of upper leaves. Male flowers on pedicels c. 0.5 mm long, perianth segments 6, 0.9–1.3 mm long, convex-concave, ovate or obovate, creamy white or red, spreading, stamens 6, filaments free, receptacle glabrous. Female flowers sessile, tepals 5 or 6, 1.4–1.7 mm long, pale red, receptacle glabrous. Ovary trigonal-globose. 0.6–0.7 mm across, glabrous; locules 3.
Fruits sessile, persistent tepals, capsule narrowly ovoid, 3.8–4.5 mm long, glabrous, mottled green and red
Flowering: Flowers and fruits have been collected all year.
Distribution and occurrence: disjunct localities in SE Australia - Ulan, Wellington and Cowra areas of Central Western Slopes and Moruya and Eden districts of South Coast of N.S.W., extending into Gippsland and westwards to Werribee Gorge in Victoria. Grows in rocky sites on hillsides and ridges in shrubland, low woodland with heath understorey or open eucalypt forest with shrubby understorey. Shallow soils, mostly sandy or occasionally sandy loam or sandy clay, often overlying granite or rhyolite, occasionally sandstone.
NSW subdivisions: CWS, SC
Other Australian states: Vic.
Pseudanthus was formerly placed in Euphorbiaceae.
Text by Summary by Clare Herscovitch, from Halford & Henderson (2003).
Taxon concept: D.A. Halford & R.J.F. Henderson, Austrobaileya 6(3): 507 (2003)
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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