Discaria pubescens
(Brogn.) Druce Australian Anchor PlantRigid, spreading shrub to c. 1 m high and wide; stems glabrous. Leaves soon deciduous, c. oblong, to 10 mm long, 3 mm wide, obtuse or minutely mucronate within an apical notch, margins minutely toothed, surfaces glabrous or a few hairs present near tip; stipules dark reddish-brown, c. 1 mm long, often shallowly joined around the node, pubescent on inner face; spines stout, 1.5–4 cm long. Flowers white, solitary or in few-flowered axillary cymes, sometimes congested on short apical shoots; pedicels 2–3 mm long; hypanthium c. 1.5 mm long; sepals somewhat spreading, 1–1.5 mm long; petals attached at throat of hypanthium, c. 1 mm long; stamens subequal to and weakly hooded by petals; disc prominent, lining base of hypanthium, obscurely 5-angled; style minute. Capsule prominently 3-lobed, 4–5 mm diam., the valves separating incompletely at maturity and splitting dorsally and medially. Flowers Oct.–Dec.
VVP, VRiv, Gold, CVU, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, MonT, VAlp. Also NSW, ACT. Now extremely rare west of Melbourne (Ballarat district only) and possibly extinct in the north-east (formerly known from Mansfield, Wodonga and Mitta Mitta areas), scattered and uncommon in the east (Snowy Range, Benambra district, Wulgulmerang, Cobberas area, Bendock), usually associated with basaltic substrate near streams, in cool, elevated areas.
Walsh, N.G. (1999). Discaria. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 83–84. Inkata Press, Melbourne.