Exocarpos sparteus
R.Br. Broom BallartBroom-like shrub or small tree to c. 6 m high, multi-stemmed, glabrous, yellowish-green; branchlets slender, often pendulous, striate. Leaves alternate, linear-subulate, 2–10 mm long, triquetrous, uncinate, somewhat persistent. Inflorescences short, dense spikes to 16 mm long in uppermost leaf axils, usually only 1 flower per spike fertile; peduncle 1–2 mm long; rachis pubescent. Tepals 5, triangular-ovate, c. 0.5 mm long, obtuse, yellow or golden-brown, persistent. Fruiting receptacle depressed-globose, 2–3 mm long, pink or red, edible; drupe more or less ellipsoid, 3–5 mm long, succulent, orange, red-brown to almost black. Flowers mainly spring and autumn (but spasmodically throughout the year).
LoM, MuM, Wim, MSB, RobP, Gold. Also WA, NT, SA, Qld, NSW. In Victoria, confined to the north-west where sometimes locally common on sandy rises in mallee communities particularly following fires.
An apparent natural hybrid between E. sparteus and E. strictus was collected north-west of Lake Albacutya in 1887.
Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Exocarpos. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 27–29. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
