Einadia hastata
(R.Br.) A.J.Scott SaloopOften a neat, rounded subshrub to c. 50 cm diam., occasionally straggling with branches to c. 1 m long. Leaves mostly opposite, petiolate, broadly hastate, rounded apically, mostly c. 5–15 mm long and wide, usually somewhat fleshy, glabrous or slightly mealy on undersurface. Panicles mostly terminal, slender, contracted or elongate; perianth c. 1 mm diam, tepals sparsely mealy or glabrous; stamens 0–2; pericarp thinly succulent, remaining green or blackening at maturity, to c. 2 mm diam., remaining clasped by incurved, slightly enlarged fruiting tepals. Seed black, c. 1.5 mm diam, minutely verrucose in radial pattern. Flowers mostly Nov.–Mar.
MuM, Wim, VVP, VRiv, MuF, GipP, OtP, Gold, CVU, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, MonT, VAlp. Also Qld, NSW. Locally common in dryish, usually rocky sites mainly in central and eastern Victoria (e.g. Inglewood, Whipstick Forest near Bendigo, Brisbane Ranges, Bacchus Marsh, Heyfield, Orbost, Gelantipy, Suggan Buggan), with outlying occurrences on loamy soils along the Murray River near Echuca and Gunbower.
Following recent molecular phylogenetic results, Mosyakin & Iamonico (2017) transferred Einadia hastata to Chenopodium, C. robertianum Iamonico & Mosyakin being the replacement name. Pending further studies and broader acceptance of the proposed change, we retain Einadia and Rhagodia as separate from Chenopodium.
Walsh, N.G. (1996). Chenopodiaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 129–199. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Synonyms
Mosyakin, S.L.; Iamonico, D. (2017). Nomenclatural changes in Chenopodium (incl. Rhagodia) (Chenopodiaceae), with considerations on relationships of some Australian taxa and their possible Eurasian relatives. Nuytsia 28: 255–271.