Stiff, usually short-lived shrub to c. 1.3 m high; branchlets usually bristly, rarely subglabrous. Leaves alternate, sessile, somewhat stem-clasping at base, obovate, 15–45 mm long, 7–18 mm wide, flat, concolorous; surfaces scabrous to shortly bristly; margins evenly serrate except toward base. Capitula 25–50 mm diam., terminal and solitary, or some axillary and then in corymbs; peduncles usually 2–5 cm long; involucre hemispherical, 8–10 mm long; bracts 2–3-seriate, subequal, bristly. Ray florets c. 40–75, purple, blue or mauve (rarely white), ligules 10–20 mm long; disc florets c. 60–250, yellow or orange. Cypsela cylindric, 2.5–3.5 mm long, 8–11-ribbed, glabrous; pappus bristles whitish, 5–7 mm long. Flowers Jul.–Oct.
LoM, MuM, Wim, RobP. Also WA, SA, Qld, NSW. In Victoria confined to the far north-west, where usually occurring in dune-mallee communities. Commonest following fire or clearing, and apparently surviving for only c. 3–5 years.
Source:
Walsh, N.G.; Lander, N.S. (1999). Olearia. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 886–912. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
