Citation: A. Rich., Voy. l~strolabe 2:107, t. 35 (1833).

Synonymy: Erechtites richardiana DC., Prod. 6:297 (1838); E. hispidula sensu Benth., Fl. Aust. 660 (1867), partly, non (A. Rich.)DC.; sensu J. Black, Fl. S. Aust. 610 (1929), partly, non (A. Rich.)DC.

Common name: Squarrose fireweed, groundsel.

Description:
Erect or ascending apparently perennial herb, 30-40 cm high; stems slender, usually branched only at the inflorescence, glabrous or sparsely cobwebby distally; leaves linear-lanceolate, 6-10 x 0.6-1.2 cm, minutely to coarsely and remotely toothed or sublobulate, glabrous or sparsely cobwebby beneath, somewhat scabrous above; lower leaves subpetiolate, upper leaves sessile with more or less coarsely toothed auricles, reduced in size.

Inflorescence a lax terminal and racemose cyme of 4-16 capitula; peduncles 1-4 cm long, sparsely cobwebby; involucre 8.5-10 x 3.5-7 mm, white-tomentose basally; bracts 16-21, rarely as few as 13 or 14; calyculus of 8-13 narrowly lanceolate slightly spreading bracteoles 2-4.5 mm long; female florets 30-50, 4- or 5-lobed; disk florets 11-17, 5-lobed.

Achenes subcylindrical, blackish, 2.2-2.7 x 0.4-0.5 mm, ribs rounded, hairs white, short, appressed in dense rows in and around channels; pappus deciduous, dimorphic.

Distribution:  In open rocky places or grass cover under open sclerophyll forest. Now rare. S.Aust.: MU, YP, SL, SE.   Vic.; Tas. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Dec. — March.

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

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: This species was combined with the very large-headed erechthitoid species, S. macrocarpus, in Bentham's Erechtites hispidula, true E. hispidula having been sunk in E. arguta Benth. Black essentially followed Bentham, except that his description was based much more on S. macrocarpus than on S. squarrosus, as shown by specimens from his herbarium.

Author: Not yet available