Citation: F. Muell., Trans. Phil. Soc. Vic. 1:48 (1855).

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: None

Description:
Low spreading shrub, less than 1 m high; branches densely hairy with curled 0.1-0.2 mm long hairs; leaves clustered on short shoots, thick, glabrous or sparsely hairy, sparsely to moderately glandular; petiole absent or to 0.1 mm long; lamina elliptic to ovate, 1.5-2.5 mm long, 0.6-2.2 but usually 1-2 mm wide; base obtuse to rounded; margin entire; apex obtuse; venation (including the midrib) not visible.

Pedicel 0.5-1.3 mm long, moderately hairy with hairs 0.2-0.3 mm long, sparsely to moderately glandular; bracteoles inserted on the distal half of the pedicel, often near the base of the calyx, narrowly elliptic, 1.3-1.7 mm long, 0.2-c. 0.5 mm wide, sparsely to moderately hairy or hairs restricted to the margin, sparsely glandular; calyx mid-green with a red tinge on the distal parts of the tube, or maroon tinge distally especially on the lobes; outer surface with an occasional hair present, moderately glandular; inner surface glabrous, glands absent; tube 2.5-3 mm long; lower lobe very broadly ovate to very broadly oblong, 1.7-3.1 mm long, 2.3-3.5 mm wide; upper lobe depressed-ovate, 1.5-2.2 mm long, c. 5-6 mm wide; corolla 10-12 mm long, violet to mid-purple, inner lower surface of the mouth and distal part of the tube white with mid-brown to light-orange or rarely yellow dots present often in 4 irregular rows, laterally with numerous small dark-purple dots; outer surface glabrous, or with an occasional hair near the margin of the lobes, very sparsely glandular; inner surface glabrous; tube 6-7 mm long; lower median lobe spathulate, 2.6-4.8 mm long, 3.9-4.7 mm wide; lateral lobes ovate to broadly ovate, 4-6 mm long, 3-3.5 mm wide; upper median lobe-pair depressed-ovate, 3-6 mm long, 6.8-11.7 mm wide; stamens inserted 2.5-4.6 mm above the base of the corolla; filaments 3.3-5.5 mm long; anthers 1-2 mm long, crested dorsally, connective extended to form a basal appendage 0.6-0.8 mm long, terminating in c. 6-12 triangular trichomes; pistil 5-7 mm long; ovary cylindrical-obovoid, 0.4-0.9 mm long; style c. 4-6 mm long; stigma lobes 0.4-0.5 mm long.

Fruiting calyx not enlarged; mericarps 1-2.4 mm long.

Image source: fig. 556B in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Althofer (1978) Cradle of incense, p. 148.

Distribution:  It occurs amongst granite outcrops on sandy loam soils in Eucalyptus-mallee woodland. S.Aust.: MU, SL, SE. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Sept. — Nov.

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

Biology: This species is only know from a few scattered localities and only a few plants are known in each area. It is therefore considered to be endangered.

Author: Not yet available