Botanical art
Common names
Native Rosemary
Rosemary Dampiera
Etymology
Dampiera named after William Dampier (1652-1715), an English buccaneer and explorer, who collected botanical specimens on the north-west coast of Australia in 1699 as commander of H.M.S. Roebuck. Rosmarinifolia Having leaves like Rosemary
Distribution and status
Found in southern part of South Australia from the Eyre Peninsula and Flinders Ranges to the South-east, growing in mallee on sandy soils. Also found in Victoria. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in Victoria.
Herbarium regions: Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Erect or decumbent perennial subshrub to 60 cm with terete, slightly ribbed stems covered in white- or grey-tomentose hairs, often becoming smooth with age. Leaves sessile, linear to linear-oblong, to 26 mm long and 5 mm wide, often crowded in fascicles, glabrous and glossy above, lower surface tomentose but margins revolute, usually concealing lower surface. Inflorescence in the upper axils with 1-3 blue-violet to pink flowers. Sepals to 1.5 mm long, tomentose. Corolla to 14 mm long, blue-violet or pink inside, white- and grey- to black-tomentose outside. Fruit obovoid, 2–4 mm long, grey-tomentose. This species is similar to D.dysantha but can be distinguished by its leaves which are revolute usually concealing the underside and the white- and grey- to black hairs on the corolla. Flowering between August and October. Fruits obovoid to 4 mm long, covered in grey hairs. Seed embryo type is spatulate.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between September and December. Collect maturing fruits, those that are fat and contain hard seeds inside. Collecting good mature fruits will be time consuming as few fruits may be produced. Place the fruit in a tray and leave to dry for two weeks. Then rub the fruits gently with a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate any 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 This species tends to produce very few viable seeds.