Citation: Summerh., J. Linn. Soc.(Bot.) 48:353 (1930).

Synonymy: F. sessilis Summerh. vat. major Summerh., J. Linn. Soc.(Bot.) 48:354 (1930). , Frankenia fruticulosa

Common name: Small-leaved sea-heath.

Description:
Low spreading rounded shrubs to 15 cm tall; branches differentiated into long- and short-shoots, hirtellous, hairs spreading, internodes 0.6-8 mm long; long-shoot leaves 1.2-5.6 mm long; leaf bases broad, chartaceous, medially somewhat thickened, flattening toward the margins, not narrowing at the distal end, 0.8-1.2 mm wide at the distal end, 0.1-0.5 mm long, usually extremely reduced with leaf blades extending almost to the point of insertion; leaf blades, ovate or oblong to narrowly elliptic or oblong, 0.7-1.7 mm wide, subterete, coriaceous, abaxially grooved, the groove linear to slightly broadened toward the base; margins thickened, strongly and tightly revolute on fresh, dried and boiled material so as almost to conceal the abaxial surface; mid-vein narrow, linear, inconspicuous to abaxially somewhat raised; surfaces a greyish yellow-green, adaxial surface glabrous to lightly puberulent, abaxial surface puberulent, hairs spreading; short-shoot leaves similar to, although often shorter than the subtending long-shoot leaves.

Flowers borne at the top 1-4 nodes of the upper branches, solitary or in dichasia bearing 2-7 flowers, subtended by whorls of 4 leaf-like floral bracts, connate to incompletely fused at the base; calyces usually 4- sometimes 5-lobed, 3.5-7.5 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, tubular, often slightly dilated toward the base, quadrangular, indurate, lightly to densely puberulent, hairs spreading to lightly curved; petals 4 or 5, spathulate to broadly spathulate, 4.8-6.5 mm long, rarely to 9 mm long; stamens 4 or 5, in 2 subequal whorls, 3.7-6 mm long; styles 3.1-4.3 mm long; style-branches usually 2, sometimes 3, 0.8-1.5 mm long; stigmas terete or slightly swollen, 0.3-0.5 mm long; ovaries with typically 2, sometimes 3, basal-parietal placentae; ovules 2 to 3, 1 or 2 per placenta, attached near the middle of the ovary, pendulous on recurred funicles.

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

Distribution:  S.Aust.: EP, MU, YP.   W.Aust.; Vic. Conservation status: native Flowering time: July — March.

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