Xanthorrhoea malacophylla D.J.Bedford APNI* 
Description: Trunk usually 2–6 m high; stem branched or sometimes single; crowns 1–10; new leaves in ± erect tuft; mature leaves spreading, lax.
Leaves transverse-rhombic to depressed-obtrullate in T.S., apically transverse-linear, 2.5–3.5 mm wide, rarely to 6.7 mm, 1.3–2.4 mm thick, green to bright green.
Scape 1.3–1.8 m long, 20–30 mm diam.; spike 0.6–1.6 as long as scape but usually about as long as scape, 110–180 cm long, 3–5 cm diam.; cluster bracts prominent for at least basal 10% of spike length, rarely obscure, narrow-triangular, subglabrous to fringed; packing bracts acute, subglabrous. Outer tepals acute to triangular, with beak 0.5 mm long, without proboscis, glabrous to subglabrous. Inner tepals recurved, sometimes without proboscis, glabrous except hairs at apex.
Flowering: May–September
Distribution and occurrence: Usually grows in moist or wet sclerophyll forest, or on rainforest margins, on steep rocky hillsides; coastal ranges from Wyong to Casino district.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC
Distinct in having a very tall trunk, and ± bright green leaves which are unusually spongy and soft. Packing bracts and outer tepals are dark brown.
Text by D. J. Bedford
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
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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