Plants of
South Australia
Dodonaea viscosa ssp. angustissima
Sapindaceae
Narrow-leaf Hop-bush,
Slender Hop-bush
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Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
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Rare
Vulnerable
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Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
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Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 15

Prior names

Dodonaea angustissima

Dodonaea attenuata var. linearis

Dodonaea attenuata

Common names

Narrow-leaf Hop-bush

Slender Hop-bush

Etymology

Dodonaea named after Rembert Dodoens (1517-1585), a Flemish physician and botanist, also known under his Latinized name Rembertus Dodonaeus. Viscosa from the Latin 'viscosus' meaning sticky, alluding to the leaves being viscous. Angustissima from latin meaning very narrow or thin, referring to the leaves.

Distribution and status

Found across most parts of South Australia growing in dry sclerophyll forest, woodland and sand plains. Also found in all mainland States. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other states.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Dioecious or polygamous-dioecious spreading or erect shrubs to 4 m high. Leaves linear to narrow-oblong, to 9.5 cm long and 0.4 cm broad, viscous, with flat glands, glabrous, margin entire to irregularly sinuate to irregularly denticulate. Flowers in terminal panicles with small yellow-green flowers. Sepals 3 or 4, stamens usually 8. Generally, the subspecies is readily distinguishable by its narrow linear leaves but many intermediates exist where two or more subspecies are sympatric. This subspecies differs from the other three subspecies found in South Australia by having the narrowest leaves. Flowering between September and January. Fruits are red-brown 3- or 4-winged capsule to 28 mm long and 28 mm wide, wings extending from the base to the apex of the capsule. Seeds are black, globular to 3 mm long and 3 mm wide with a short brown aril. Seed embryo type is folded.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between December and March. Collect winged capsules that contain hard black seeds, usually when capsule is turning red or brown with black seeds. Place capsules in a tray and leave to dry for 1 to 2 weeks. Then rub the capsules by hand to dislodge the seeds. 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. Seed viability is usually high. This species has physiological dormancy that needs to be overcome for the seed to germinate (e.g. nicking the seed coat).

Seeds stored:
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LocationNo. of seeds
(weight grams)		Number
of plants		Date
collected		Collection number
Collection location		Date
stored		% ViabilityStorage
temperature
BGA 
MSB		17,300 (138 g)
17,300 (138 g)		8022-Jan-2004MKJ23
Eyre Peninsula		1-Sep-200480%+5°C, -18°C
Location: BGA — the seeds are stored at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, MSB — the seeds are stored at the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, England.
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.
Germination table:
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We acknowledge the contributions of the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre, the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, and the Department for Environment and Water.