Botanical art
Prior names
Cheiranthera linearis
Cheiranthera cyanea
Common names
Hand-flower
Finger-flower
Etymology
Cheiranthera from the Greek 'cheir' meaning hand and 'anthera' meaning anther, referring to the five anthers resembling fingers. Alternifolia from Latin meaning alternate leaves.
Distribution and status
Found in the southern part of South Australia, from the southern Eyre Peninsula to the lower South-east. It was also known in Victoria from 2 collections, most recent being from 1890. It is presumed extinct in that State. Native. Common in South Australia.
Herbarium regions: Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
A weak perennial shrub to 50 cm tall and usually growing through other plants. It has long linear leaves and large dark blue-purple flowers at the tip. The yellow anthers are arranged like fingers on a hand. Flowering between September and November. Fruits are long brown capsule to 18 mm long, with numerous seeds inside. Seeds are shiny small, red-brown reniform seeds to 2.5 mm long and 1.5 mm wide.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between December and January. Collect capsules as they start to dry and turn brown. Capsules may be collected green if the seeds are hard and red-brown. Place the capsules in a tray and cover with paper towels to prevent the seeds popping out and leave to dry for a week. Then carefully rub the dried capsules by hand to prevent damaging the seeds as the seedcoat is thin. Use a sieve to remove the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. Seed viability is usually high.
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGA MSB | 23,400 (16.38 g) 7,000 (4.86 g) | 30-Dec-2005 | PJA100 Murray | 20-Jul-2009 | 100% | -18°C |
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.