About
Contact
Links
Electronic Flora of South Australia
Electronic Flora of South Australia
Census of SA Plants, Algae & Fungi
Identification tools
 

Electronic Flora of South Australia species Fact Sheet

Family: Elaeocarpaceae
Tetratheca pilosa

Citation: Labill., Nov. Holl. Pl. Sp. 1:95 (1805) subsp. pilosa.

Synonymy: Tetratheca pilosa

Common name: Pink-eyed Susan, hairy pink-bells.

Description:
Erect or spreading shrub to 60 cm high, arising from an often stout root stock; stems covered with tubercles and sometimes on younger growth short glandular-tipped hairs; branches alternate, opposite or with several branches arising together, erect; leaves usually alternate but occasionally opposite, linear to narrowly ovate, 2-15 mm long and c. 1 mm wide, margins revolute often over the midrib, or recurved, apex blunt or with a short pungent point; petiole short but distinct.

Flowers single or rarely 2 together in the upper axils; peduncles lengthening as the flower matures, 4-9 or rarely to 12 mm long; sepals 4, 1-2 or rarely to 2.5 mm long; petals 4, dark- or pale-pink or white, occasionally differing on one plant, broadly to narrowly obovate, oblong, ovate or elliptic, 3-12 mm long and variable in width; stamens 8, body of the anther glabrous or with small hairs, tapering into tube with a narrow or broad orifice; ovary usually with scattered glandular and/or eglandular hairs; style slender, usually glabrous, 1-3 mm long; ovules 1 in each cell, suspended from the top of the central axis.

Capsule obovate, cuneate or cordate, 3-5 mm long and about two-thirds as wide, often beaked; seeds almost oblong, c. 2.5 mm long, hairs appressed to spreading.

Distribution:  In heath and sclerophyll.

S.Aust.: MU, YP, SL, SE.   N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.

Conservation status: native

Flowering time: April — Feb.


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

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: Subsp. latifolia J. Thompson, which does not occur in S.Aust., is distinguished from the typical subspecies by leaves often in whorls of 3 or 4, broad- to narrowly elliptic or rarely almost orbicular, 5-8 mm long and 2-3 mm broad, margins flat or recurved; ovary usually bearing numerous long hollow shining hairs. A fragment from a single plant of Platytheca, a south-west W.Aust. genus of 2 species, has been collected from the SE region (Mt Rescue Conservation Park) and identified as P. galioides Steetz (=P. verticillata (Paxton)Baillon). Further collections are needed to verify that an established population occurs in this State and to confirm the identity. Platytheca can be distinguished from Tetratheca by the usually deep-purple petals, the distinctly verticillate linear leaves, the stamens in 2 series with the outer series opposite the petals and shorter than the inner series and the 4 anther-loculi in one plane.

Author: Not yet available


Disclaimer Copyright Disclaimer Copyright Email Contact:
State Herbarium of South Australia
Government of South Australia Government of South Australia Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Water