Exocarpos strictus
R.Br. Pale-fruit BallartErect shrub to c. 4 m high, grey-green to light green, sometimes bronzy; branchlets slender but c. rigid, angular, striate, pubescent at first, finally glabrous. Leaves alternate, linear-subulate, 1–3 mm long, caducous. Inflorescences usually 2–6-flowered, short, dense, sessile or shortly pedunculate clusters 1–3.5 mm long in upper leaf axils, usually only 1 flower per spike fertile; rachis pubescent. Tepals 4 or 5, triangular-ovate, to c. 1 mm long, more or less acute, yellow-green, caducous. Fruiting receptacle broad-obovoid, 2–4 mm long, red, white or mauve, succulent; drupe ovoid or globular, 2.5–4.5 mm long, shiny, green to almost black. Flowers all months.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, Brid, VVP, VRiv, MSB, RobP, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, Strz, MonT, HFE, VAlp. Also SA, Qld, NSW, ACT, Tas. Apart from very dry and very wet communities, almost ubiquitous in heathland, woodland and open-forests throughout Victoria.
See also note under E. sparteus.
Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Exocarpos. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 27–29. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
