Citation: F. Muell., Fragm. Phyt. Aust. 1:69 (1859).

Synonymy: M. incaria sensu J. Black, Fl. S. Aust. 571 (1952), non Heyne. , Melhania incana

Common name: Velvet hibiscus.

Description:
Softly woody shrub to 1 m high but often less than 50 cm, whitish with a soft stellate tomentum; leaves narrow-ovate to oblong, often shallowly V-shaped in section, obtuse at both ends, 10-50 mm long, 6-20 mm broad; stipules filiform; petioles 1-15 mm long.

Flowers axillary or in 1-3-flowered inflorescences; pedicels 5-10 mm long, articulated to the peduncle when 1-flowered; epicalyx segments linear-lanceolate, a little shorter than the sepals; calyx 6-15 mm long, glabrous inside, the segments attenuate; petals more or less obovate, yellow, to 16 mm long, adhering to one another above the developing fruit; staminodes linear, petaloid, obtuse at the apex; style branches much shorter than the style.

Capsule ovoid, shorter than the calyx, tomentose, with an outer herbaceous and an inner crustaceous coat; seeds 4-8 in each cell, obovoid, trigonous, tuberculate, c. 2 mm long, dark-brown.

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 495.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: NW, LE, FR, EA.   W.Aust.; N.T.; Qld; N.S.W. Conservation status: native Flowering time: recorded April, May, Aug. — Nov.

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

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available