Citation: R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 408 (1810).

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Ruby saltbush, barrier saltbush.

Description:
Lax shrub c. 1 m high, densely woolly with short curled hairs to shortly villous or glabrous, sometimes glaucous; leaves slender, terete or fusiform, 7-20 mm long; perianth tube glabrous; lobes glabrous or pubescent, woolly-ciliate.

Fruiting perianth depressed-globular, c. 5 mm diam., green, yellow or red (drying black); apex flat or deeply sunken in the centre, glabrous or woolly; wing absent or represented by an incurved undulate corona up to 1 mm high.

Distribution:  Widespread in mainland States, also as an introduction in New Caledonia. Occurs principally in slightly saline soil. Conservation status: native Flowering time: No flowering time is available

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: An extremely variable species both in indumentum and in shape of the fruiting perianth. Hybridisation occurs between E. tomentosa and Maireana turbinata and between E. tomentosa and M. georgei.

Key to Infraspecific taxa:

1. Leaves villous, branches tomentose	var. tomentosa 1a.
1. Leaves and branches glabrous or minutely and sparsely appressed-pilosulose	var. glabra 1b.

Author: Not yet available