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Electronic Flora of South Australia species Fact Sheet

Family: Amaranthaceae
Sclerolaena lanicuspis

Citation: F. Muell. ex Benth., Fl. Aust. 5:195 (1870).

Synonymy: Bassia lanicuspis (F. Muell.)F. Muell., Syst. Census Aust. Pl. 1:30 (1882). , Anisacantha lanicuspis

Common name: Woolly) copperburr, spinach burr.

Description:
Woody perennial c. 25 cm high; branches tomentose; leaves semiterete, 10-20 mm long, fleshy, pilose.

Flowers solitary; perianth pilose; stamens 5.

Fruiting perianth pilose all over, readily detached; attachment basal, circular, concave, 0.4-1.2 mm diam.; tube turbinate, dorsiventrally compressed, 1.5-3 mm long; limb erect, membranous; spines 3 rarely 4; 2 lateral erect, c. twice the length of the tube and 1 (or 2 collateral) adaxial and either erect and equal to the lateral spines or divaricate and shorter; seed and radicle erect.

image of FSA1_Sclerolaena_lan.jpg Sclerolaena lanicuspis fruit
Image source: fig. 170e in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Williams (1980) Native plants of Queensland 1:29.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: NW, LE, GT, FR, EA, EP.   W.Aust.; N.T.; Qld; N.S.W.; Vic.

Conservation status: native

Flowering time: Flowers and/or fruits: probably all months, especially April — Oct.


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

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: A variable taxon possibly consisting of more then one species. Bassia cristata Ising, Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust. 88:79 (1964) is probably a hybrid between S. lanicuspis and S. uniflora: syn: --S. cristata (Ising)A.J. Scott, Reprium nov. Spec. Regni veg. 89:112 (1978).

Author: Not yet available


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