Prior names
Kochia villosa var. tenuifolia
Enchylaena decalvans
Kochia tomentosa var. tenuifolia
Common names
Black Cotton-bush
Etymology
'Maireana', after the 19th century French botanist, Adolphe Lemaire and 'decalvans', meaning balding or becoming hairless.
Distribution and status
Found in heavy, seasonally waterlogged soil. Recorded in the Mount Lofty Ranges and in Danggali Conservation Park, Murray region. Endangered in South Australia. Also recorded in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
Herbarium regions: Northern Lofty, Murray, Southern Lofty, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Bushy shrub to 50 cm high. Slender branches; woolly or glabrous; often woolly in the leaf axils. Leaves slender, alternate 5-8 mm long; fleshy and glabrous. Flowers solitary, glabrous. Flowering November to May. Fruits are fruiting perianth glabrous with a simple, horizontal thin wing with a single radial split. Seeds are ellipsoid to circular brown, convex seed. Seed embryo type is peripheral
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between November and May. Collect seeds when fruits are brown and papery. Check inside several fruits for the presence of well developed seed before making a collection. Strip or shake fruiting branches into a container. Remove twigs and other plant material. Varied, between 40 - 70 % from 4 collections Germinates readily with no treatment.
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGA MSB | 32,300 (51.8 g) 32,300 (51.8 g) | 30 | 11-Feb-2005 | MKJ83 Southern Lofty | 28-Mar-2006 | 70% | +5°C, -18°C |
| BGA | 1,300 (1.83 g) | 20 | 11-Feb-2005 | MKJ81 Southern Lofty | 28-Mar-2006 | 45% | -18°C |
| BGA MSB | 1,700 (3.41 g) 1,700 (3.41 g) | 6 | 12-Feb-2005 | MKJ84 Southern Lofty | 28-Mar-2006 | 75% | -18°C |
| BGA | 1,300 (3.05 g) | 3-Feb-2011 | J.Quarmby Southern Lofty | 1-Jan-2012 | 40% | -18°C | |
| BGA | 4,000 (9.81 g) | 4 | 1-Jun-2015 | J.Quarmby Southern Lofty | 1-Jan-2016 | 70% | -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.