Citation: Benth., Fl. Aust. 3:649 (1867).

Synonymy: Pteropogon laevis A. Gray, Hooker's J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:269 (1852).

Common name: Smooth sunray.

Description:
Annual herb 3-12 cm high, grey-green to purplish; stems few, erect to ascending, simple or few-branched, ridged, glabrous; leaves alternate or the lowermost opposite, narrow-linear to very narrowly oblanceolate, acute, 0.5-2.5 cm long, to 1 mm wide, flat, with- a distinct mid-vein, glabrous.

Capitula pedunculate in a leafy panicle; involucre cylindrical, 3-4 mm long, 4- or 5-seriate, glabrous, straw-coloured becoming brownish- or purplish-tinted; bracts obovate to oblanceolate, obtuse, scarious with greenish mid-veins; receptacle steeply convex, minute; florets 8-12, all bisexual.

Achenes slightly compressed-fusiform-truncate, c. 1 mm long, black, sparsely pubescent with short transparent hairs; pappus bristles 10-20, very shortly connate, 2-2.5 mm long, evenly plumose from the base, deciduous.

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 690.

Distribution:  In woodland, mallee and shrubland communities.   W.Aust.; N.S.W.; Vic. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Aug. — Oct.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available