Common name: Dune Fan Flower
Scaevola calendulacea (Andrews) Druce APNI* Synonyms: Scaevola suaveolens R.Br. APNI*
Description: Prostrate shrub with flowering stems ascending to 40 cm high, with appressed simple hairs.
Leaves oblanceolate to obovate, to 8 cm long, to 27 mm wide, tapering towards base, margins entire, with appressed hairs.
Flowers in terminal spikes to 8 cm long; lowest bracts mostly oblong-oblanceolate, half the length of flower; bracteoles linear to narrow-elliptic, 3–6 mm long. Sepals fused, tube 0.5–1 mm long, sinuate, ciliate. Corolla 12–18 mm long, bright blue, pubescent outside, bearded inside with some of the broader hairs often papillate at apex; wings 1–2 mm wide. Anthers glabrous. Indusium c. 2 mm wide, with few hairs towards base.
Fruit globose, to 12 mm diam., glabrous, white and purplish; mesocarp fleshy; endocarp tuberculate.
Flowering: throughout year.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread, a sand stabilizer on coastal dunes.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC
Other Australian states: Qld Vic.
Text by R. C. Carolin Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
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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