Pycnosorus pleiocephalus
(F.Muell.) J.Everett & Doust Soft Billy-buttonsErect or ascending annual, to c. 40 cm high; stems many, unbranched, sparsely cobwebbed. Basal leaves few, oblanceolate; cauline leaves c. oblanceolate, 1–7 cm long, 2–10 mm wide, acute to obtuse, gland-tipped, surfaces green, with glandular and flattened septate hairs. Compound heads ovoid or globose, solitary or 2–6 with secondary heads; main compound head 10–15 mm diam.; bracts of common involucre 1- or 2-seriate, linear to elliptic, 3–4 mm long, herbaceous with broad scarious margins; capitula 40–60; capitular bracts ovate, 2.5–3 mm long, herbaceous with broad scarious margins, finely ciliate; involucral bracts 5 or 6, oblanceolate, scarious, apices yellow. Florets lemon-yellow. Cypselas 1.5–2 mm long; pappus bristles 8–15, plumose, 2–4 mm long. Flowers mostly Aug.–Oct.
MuM, VRiv, MSB, RobP, MuF. Also WA, NT, SA, Qld, NSW. Confined in Victoria to the north-west, usually in woodland or scrub, often on sandy soils.
Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Asteraceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 652–666. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
