Prostanthera lasianthos
Labill. Victorian Christmas BushLarge shrub to small tree, 1–6(–12) m high, aromatic; branches glabrous or sparsely covered with short, curled hairs and subsessile glands. Leaves ovate (to narrow- or linear-ovate), (25–)40–120 mm long, (5–)10–32 mm wide, dark green above, paler below, glabrous, base cuneate to shortly attenuate, slightly oblique, margin toothed, occasionally teeth reduced or absent, apex acute to acuminate; petiole 6–10 mm long. Flowers in a terminal racemose or paniculate inflorescence; bracteoles persistent, 2–4 mm long, 0.2–0.4 mm wide. Calyx 4–5 mm long, tube 2–3 mm long, adaxial lobe 1.5–3 mm long (enlarged in fruit); corolla white to pale mauve with purple spots in throat, 10–15 mm long; anther appendage c. 1.5 mm long.
Wim, VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, HFE, VAlp.
Throughout its range P. lasianthos is very variable, but 2 varieties are recognized, both in Victoria.
In the gorge of Cultivation Creek, western Grampians, it forms a hybrid with P. spinosa, the result being a sprawling shrub to 6 m wide, 1 m high, with weakly spinose branches, leaves ovate to spathulate, 4–20 mm long, 2–9 mm wide, weakly toothed, and the flowers solitary in axils.
Conn, B.J. (1999). Lamiaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 418–459. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning