Citation: Labill., Nov. Holl. Pl. Sp. 1:56 (1805).

Synonymy: Merkusia crassifolia (Labill.)Vriese, Nederl. Kruidk. Arch. 2:151 (1851).

Common name: Cushion fanflower.

Description:
Spreading shrub to 1.5 m high and c. 3 m wide; stems erect or ascending, terete, striate, robust, glabrous; leaves broadly ovate to orbicular, tapered into a long petiole, obtuse, 1.5-8 cm long including the petiole, 3-43 mm wide, usually denticulate, thick, glabrous, viscid when young.

Flowers sessile in terminal or axillary spikes; bracts linear to narrow-triangular, 4-14 mm long, entire; bracteoles linear to triangular, to 4 mm long, glabrous; sepals connate into a tube to 1 mm long, glabrous or rarely ciliate; corolla white to blue or pale-purple, 8-11 mm long, glabrous or subglabrous outside, sparsely bearded in the throat; lobes elliptic, 3-7 mm long, apiculate, broadly winged; tube 4-5 mm long; style 6-7 mm long, pilose; indusium depressed-obovate, c. 1.7 mm wide, glabrous or slightly pubescent above and with a ciliate orifice; ovary ellipsoid, 1-2 mm long, glabrous or rarely appressed-pubescent.

Fruit globose or depressed-globose, sometimes gibbous, c. 3 mm long, ribbed, 2-celled; mesocarp thin, dry.

	Habit, leaf, flower
Image source: fig. 636a in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Blackall & Grieve (1975) How to know Western Australian wildflowers, 4: t. 7.

Distribution:  In heath on coastal dunes and limestone. S.Aust.: EP, YP, SL, KI, SE.   W.Aust. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Sept. — Jan.

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