Spyridium eriocephalum
Fenzl Heath SpyridiumErect to spreading shrub, to 50(–180) cm high; branchlets shortly appressed-villous. Leaves all similar, shortly petiolate, linear, 5–14 mm long, 0.5–1 mm wide, semi-terete, grooved below, apex abruptly tapered into a short, slightly recurved point, upper surface glabrous, often minutely scabrous, sometimes viscid, lower surface hidden by revolute margins; stipules brown, 2–3.5 mm long, ciliate in 2 lines, rarely glabrous, often viscid, united for most of their length. Flowers in terminal, shortly pedunculate hemispherical heads 0.5–1 cm diam., heads subtended by 1–3 leaves and several broad brown papery (sometimes viscid) bracts; perianth 2–3 mm long, white or cream, externally white-woolly; sepals c. 1 mm, subequal to free part of hypanthium; style 1–1.5 mm long, entire. Fruit c. 2 mm long. Flowers throughout the year, mostly Aug.–Nov.
LoM, MuM, Wim, VVP, RobP, MuF, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, HSF. Also SA, Tas.
Plants from non-mallee locations tend to be taller, have longer leaves and stipules, and are more viscid than mallee plants. Their taxonomic status warrants investigation. Possible hybrids between S. eriocephalum and S. subochreatum have been collected from the western part of the Big Desert. No infraspecific taxa are recognised. S. eriocephalum var. glabrisepalum J.M.Black from Kangaroo Island in South Australia was recently elevated to species rank as S. glabrisepalum (J.M.Black) Kellermann & C.Clowes.
Kellermann, J., Clowes, C. & Bell, S.A.J. (2022). A review of the Spyridium eriocephalum complex (Rhamnaceae:Pomaderreae). Swainsona 36: 75–88 (2022).
Spinning
