Citation: Paul G. Wilson, Nuytsia 2:30 (1975).

Synonymy: Echinopsilon carnosus Moq. in A. DC., Prod. 13, 2:136 (1849); Chenolea carnosa (Moq.)Benth., Fl. Aust. 5:190 (1870); Bassia carnosa (Moq.)F. Muell., Syst. Census Aust. Pl. 30 (1882); Kochia carnosa (Moq.)R. Anderson, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 48:353 (1923); B. lanuginosa C. White, Qld Agric. J. 15:216 (1921).

Common name: Cottony bluebush.

Description:
Erect perennial woody at the base, to 30 cm high; branches woolly; leaves fleshy, alternate narrow- to broad-oblong, acute, to 10 mm long (floral leaves often broader than the stem leaves), silky to woolly or almost glabrous.

Flowers solitary, bisexual, spirally arranged in dense leafy spikes, densely covered in long wool.

Fruiting perianths sessile, enveloped in a thick mass of wool to 8 mm diam.; tube shallowly hemispherical, 2-3 mm diam., crustaceous; wing circular, horizontal, very narrow (to 0.5 mm wide), with a single radial slit; upper perianth flat or slightly inflexed in the centre, crustaceous.

	Maireana carnosa fruit
Image source: fig. 159g in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Distribution:  Usually found around salt lakes. S.Aust.: NW, LE, NU, FR, EA, MU.   W.Aust. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Flowers and/or fruits: 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