Ascending annual to c. 30 cm high; branches cottony. Leaves alternate, c. linear, 5–35 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, with stalked-glandular hairs and usually some cottony hairs. Capitula homogamous, hemispherical, 9–12 mm long, solitary. Involucral bracts several-seriate, the outer bracts small, usually white, rarely pale brown, inner bracts with pronounced claws and white spreading laminae 5–9 mm long. Florets 20–50, bisexual, the 3 abaxial lobes exceeding the adaxial 2. Cypselas c. 1.5 mm long, densely silky-hairy; pappus caducous, of c. 5–8 plumose bristles dilating towards the base, variably connate and sometimes forming a conspicuous tube c. 2 mm long. Flowers Oct.–Nov.
LoM, MuM, VRiv, MuF, Gold, HSF. All mainland states. Known in Victoria only from Hattah and Kerang areas, with a pre-1900 specimen labelled 'Upper Yarra' being of dubious origin.
Source:
Short, P.S. (1999). Rhodanthe. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 752–757. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
