Synonymy: F. speciosa Summerh., J. Linn. Soc.(Bot.) 48:361 (1930).

Common name: J. Black, Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust. 42:177 (1918).

Description:
Low densely branched subshrubs 15-25 cm high; branches glabrous to puberulent or short-pilose, hairs spreading to lightly curved, rarely uncinate, internodes 2-27 mm long; leaves 2-8 mm long; leaf bases medially somewhat thickened, flattened toward margins, not narrowing at the distal end, 0.5-1.1 mm wide at the distal end, 0.1-0.8 mm long, usually extremely reduced with leaf blades extending almost to the point of insertion; leaf blades narrowly to very broadly ovate, elongate-triangular or oblong, usually cordate at the base, 1.2-7.2 mm wide near the base; margins loosely and gradually revolute, not strongly thickened; mid-vein inconspicuous to abaxially somewhat raised, narrow, linear, broadened somewhat at the base, to linear-triangular; surfaces a greyish yellow-green, punctate, adaxial surface glabrous to puberulent, abaxial surface sparsely to densely puberulent, occasionally glabrous, hairs spreading to lightly curved.

Flowers borne at the top 1-4 nodes of the upper branches, commonly in dichasia with 2-17 flowers or solitary; floral bracts leaf-like, connate at the base into whorls of 4, enveloping and conspicuously adnate to the lower portion of the calyx for 0.8-1.5 mm; calyces 5-lobed, 5.5-8.5 mm long, 1.7-2.5 mm wide, tubular, usually slightly dilated toward the base, abruptly tapering at the very base, indurate, glabrous above, short-pilose below to short-pilose throughout, hairs spreading to uncinate; petals 5 or 6, spathulate to broadly spathulate, 9-16.5 mm long; stamens 5-7 in 2 unequal whorls, 7-13 mm long; styles 6.3-11.8 mm long; style-branches 3, 1.7-4.2 mm long, bearing terminal very slightly swollen stigmas 0.3-0.8 mm long; ovaries with 3 basal-parietal placentae; ovules 3-6, 1 or 2 per placenta, attached 0.4-0.8 mm from the carpel base, pendulous on recurved funicles.

Fruits 1-3-seeded, seeds 0.8-1.5 mm long.

Published illustration: Barnsley (1982) Flora of Australia 8: fig. 28b.

Distribution:  This species often occurs on saline soils. S.Aust.: NW.   W.Aust.; N.T. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Feb. — Oct.

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

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: Frankenia cordata is closely related to, and may be synonymous with, F. arabira of north-western W.Aust.

Author: Not yet available