Citation: C. Gardner, Enum. Pl. Austral. Occ. 41 (1930).

Synonymy: Alternanthera decipiens Benth., Fl. Aust. 5:251 (1870); P. hoodii F. Muell., Fragm. Phyt. Aust. 8:232 (1874).

Common name: None

Description:
Decumbent sometimes bushy annual to c. 30 cm high and more than 35 cm across, stems woody at the base, branches softly clothed with crisp hairs, branchlets approximate; leaves rhomboid-ovate to spathulate, up to 3.5 X 1.5 rarely 2 cm, cuspidate, long-petiolate, at first cobwebby.

Spikes, numerous, mostly axillary, sessile, ovoid or elongate-ovoid, to 2.5 x 1 cm, few-flowered (6-20); bract and bracteoles large (up to 5 X 2 mm), glabrous, keeled, conspicuously tapering into c. 1.5 mm long points, purplish becoming pale; perianth 4.5 mm long, forming a small disk below; perianth-segments almost free to the base, very acute, with dorsal silky hairs from the margins of the lower half and a glabrous greenish median area, smaller inner perianth-segments with marginal crisp hairs; stamens all fertile, fused into a very short cup; ovary glabrous, sessile; style short (c. 0.4 mm), central.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: NW, LE, GT, FR, EA, EP.   W.Aust.; N.T.; Qld. Conservation status: native Flowering time: over the whole year, particularly July — Sept.

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