Prior names
Rulingia loxophylla
Commersonia loxophylla
Commersonia kempeana
Rulingia kempeana
Common names
pudi-pudi
Pur#ar-pur#arpa
Etymology
Androcalva from the Greek 'andros' meaning a male and 'calvus' meaning bald, hairless; referring to the glabrous staminodes present in this genus. Loxophylla from the Greek 'loxos ' meaning slanting and 'phyllos ' meaning a leaf; thought to refer to the oblique base on the leaves, a characteristic common to all species in the genus.
Distribution and status
Found in the northern part of South Australia, mainly in the north-west and north-east corners, with disjunct and isolated records further south. Grows in open mulga, low woodland with scattered eucalypts, in swale of desert dunes with hummock grassland or in open shrubland in sandplain with lateritic red loam, granite rock areas, and is occasionally recorded in dry creek beds. Also found in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland. Native. Uncommon in South Australia but more abundant after fire. Common in the other states.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Shrub with spreading or semiprostrate branches, to 50 cm high and much broader than high. Younger branches densely covered in stellate hairs. Leaves oblong-lanceolate to broad-elliptic, entire to serrate, sometimes undulate, with a slightly impressed midrib and other veins, with flat margins, densely stellate-tomentose below but less so or subglabrous above, pale below, to 50 mm long and 25 mm wide. Inflorescence dense cluster with 20 small yellow flowers. Flowering between August to October. Fruits are hairy brown globular capsule to 3 mm diameter, with 5 valves, splitting when matured and contain numerous seeds. Seed embryo type is spathulate.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between October and December. Capsules can be collected prior to splitting as long as the seeds inside are hard and dark. Place the capsules in a tray and cover with paper to prevent seeds being lost when explosively 'popping' out. Leave to dry for at least a week. Rub the dried capsules by hand to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a dessicant such as dried silica beads or dry rice in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. These seeds have physical dormancy and can be germinated after pre-treatment such as scarification, nicking or hot water. The pre-treatments remove/breach the physical barrier for moisture uptake.
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGA | 520 (0.99 g) | 70 | 23-Oct-2007 | MJT149 Lake Eyre | 19-Sep-2008 | 60% | -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.