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. Tasmanica means of or from Tasmania; referring to where the type specimen was collected from.
Distribution and status
Found on Kangaroo Island and the southern Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia, growing in shallow sand on rocky coastal heath and in woodland. Also found in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Native. Rare in South Australia. Rare in New South Wales and Victoria. Common in the other states.
Herbarium regions: Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, Green Adelaide
NRM regions: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, Kangaroo Island
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Weak erect or ascending herb to 20 cm high, covered by sparse spreading hairs with many, prostrate or spreading-ascending stems. Leaves alternate with leaf blade to 15 mm long and 30 mm wide, usually glabrescent, ternately dissected to 5-segmented, segments elliptic, entire. Inflorescence on short stalk to 5 mm long in umbels of 1–3 white flowers. Flowering between September and November. Fruits are capsule cluster to to 2 mm long, each fruit with 2 seeds. Seeds are orange wedge-shaped seed to 2.5 mm long and 1.5 mm wide, with prominent ribs and hairs at one end. Seed embryo type is linear under-developed.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between November and January. 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.