Plants of
South Australia
Gonocarpus elatus
Haloragaceae
Tall Raspwort,
Hill Raspwort
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Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
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Oodnadatta
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Wudinna
Keith
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Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 5

Prior names

Haloragis tenuis

Haloragis elata

Common names

Tall Raspwort

Hill Raspwort

Etymology

Gonocarpus from the Greek 'gonia' meaning angle, corner and 'carpos' meaning fruit, referring to its ribbed fruits. Elatus from Latin meaning tall, referring to its tall stature compared to the other species.

Distribution and status

Found on the northern Eyre Peninsula, Flinders Ranges, Olary Ranges, Mount Lofty Ranges and the upper South-east in South Australia, growing on dry, rocky hillsides and rock outcrops. Also found in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Southern Lofty, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
NRM regions: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Northern and Yorke, South Australian Arid Lands, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Erect or ascending perennial herb to 35 cm tall with weakly 4- or 5-ribbed stems covered in dense soft spreading hairs. Leaves sessile, alternate, linear-lanceolate to ovate, to 40 mm long and 8 mm wide; densely hairy, entire or toothed in the top half. Inflorescence a leafy-spike at he tip of stems with 4 to numerous reddish-brown flowers. Flowering between October and December. Fruits are small grey-black globose fruit to 1.5 mm long; hairy with a tuberculate surface. Seeds are considered the same as the fruit.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between December and February. Collect maturing fruits that are fat and turning black, by running your hands along the fruit-spikes. Place the fruit in a tray and leave to dry for 1 to 2 weeks. No further cleaning is required if only fruits were collected. If collected with other material, use a sieve to separate 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.