Common name: Woolly Xanthosia
Xanthosia pilosa Rudge APNI* Synonyms: Xanthosia vestita Benth. APNI*
Xanthosia diffusa C.T.White APNI*
Xanthosia pilosa var. glabra C.Moore & Betche APNI*
Description: Erect to diffuse shrub, 30–65 cm high; stems pilose or occasionally ± glabrous.
Leaves variable in size and shape even on the same plant; lamina elliptic to broad-ovate, 4–55 mm long, 5–55 mm wide, 3–7-lobed or 3-foliolate; central lobe or leaflet longer than lateral ones; densely pilose to ± glabrous, discolorous, upper surface dark green and pilose, lower surface whitish or often brownish tomentose; petiole 2–8 mm long..
Umbels often paired, irregularly compound, usually 1–20-flowered; peduncles absent or to 5 cm long; bracteoles petaloid, yellow-green turning reddish, linear-elliptic to ovate, 3–10 mm long. Sepals 1–1.5 mm long. Petals 1–1.4 mm long, pale green to creamy-white. Stylopodium hirsute.
Fruit 2–2.9 mm long, mericarps 7–9-ribbed.
Flowering: mostly September–March(occasionally in winter if coastal).
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in heath and sclerophyll forest, frequently in rocky and sandy sites, and occasionally along watercourses.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas.
This is an extremely variable species in which some of the variants have been previously recognised formally, but which have no distinct morphological boundaries.
Text by J.M. Hart & B.M. Wiecek
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992) & J.M. Hart 2002
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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