Botanical art
Prior names
Leucolaena huegelii
Xanthosia pusilla
Common names
Heath Xanthosia
Hairy Xanthosia
Etymology
Xanthosia from the Greek 'xanthos' meaning yellow; referring to the colour of the hairs of some species or to the flower colour of the type specimen. Huegelii named after Baron Carl von Hugel (1795-1870), an Austrian traveller, plant collector and patron of horticulture.
Distribution and status
Found on the southern Eyre Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, southern Mount Lofty Ranges and the upper South-east in South Australia, growing on sand mainly in coastal areas in heath and woodland. Also found in Western Australia and Victoria. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other states.
Herbarium regions: Eyre Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
NRM regions: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Weak procumbent to ascending perennial herb or small shrub to 15 cm high, rootstock short, woody, branches covered in soft hairs, becoming flaky with age. Leaves alternate, with leaf-blade to 35 mm long and 60 mm wide, covered in soft hairs, sometimes hairless, ternately dissected, segments linear-oblong to elliptic, entire, petiole to 30 mm long. Inflorescence singular or in clusters of 3–6 yellow-green or white-cream flowers, with hairy bracts. Flowering between June and January. Fruits are brown capsule to 4 mm long. Seed embryo type is linear under-developed.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between October and March. Collect maturing fruits by picking off clusters that are turning pale brown with a hard seed inside. Place the fruits in a tray and leave to dry for one to two weeks. Then rub the fruits with a rubber bung 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.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSB | 1,600 (0.88 g) | 14-Dec-2005 | DJD321 Southern Lofty |