Prior names
Goniopogon multicaule
Common names
Many-stemmed Burr-daisy
Woolly-headed Burr-daisy
Etymology
Calotis from the Greek 'kalos' meaning beautiful and 'otos' meaning ear, after the first species named in the genus Calotis cuneifolia which has an ear-shaped pappus. Multicaulis meaning many stemmed.
Distribution and status
Found across the northern part of South Australia growing on sand and loam, mainly on floodplains and dry creek beds. Also found in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland. Native. Common in South Australia. Uncommon in the Northern Territory and Queensland. Common in Western Australia.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Eyre Peninsula
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Annual herb to 50 cm high with stems erect or ascending, branched and sparsely hairy. Basal leaves petiolate, oblanceolate to 4.5 cm long, soon withering. Stem leaves sessile, cuneate to oblanceolate to 5 cm long and 10 mm wide, narrow at the base, dentate or lobed in the distal portion, sparsely hairy. Flower-head in loose leafy terminal cymes of 2-8 flowers, ray florets white or bluish. Flowering Between May and October. Fruits are brown round spiny fruit-head. Seeds are brown seed to 2 mm long, covered in woolly hairs, with numerous, long and narrow barbed spines at one end. Seed embryo type is spathulate fully developed.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between August and December. Collect mature seed heads that are dried and turning brown by picking off the heads and placing them in a paper bag. Be careful as the heads are spiny. Leave the heads in the paper bag to dry for at least a week. No further cleaning required if only the heads are collected. If other material were collected, use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Whole heads can be stored with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. Seeds are non-dormant, viable seed should germinate readily.
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGA MSB | 14,000 (32.32 g) 14,000 (32.32 g) | 100+ | 1-Nov-2005 | DJD161 Gairdner-Torrens | 14-Sep-2006 | 80% | -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.