Common name: Bitou Bush, Boneseed, Bietou
Chrysanthemoides monilifera (L.) Norl. APNI* Description: Sprawling to erect shrub to 1.5 m high, young growth finely tomentose to white woolly.
Leaves alternate, 2–7 cm long, 1–3 cm wide, base ± attenuate, leathery with a distinct midvein.
Heads usually 3–12 in branched terminal corymbs; corymb branches 1–3 cm long, finely tomentose with 2–5 reduced subulate leaves, 2–6 mm long; heads 10–20 mm diam.; involucral bracts acute, 3–6 mm long. Florets yellow, disc florets numerous.
Fruit 6–8 mm diam., purplish black, ± succulent.
Distribution and occurrence: mainly in disturbed coastal sites. Native of S Afr.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *CT, *SWP, *NFWP, *SFWP, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *Tas. *S.A. *W.A.
Also known as Osteospermum moniliferum. The Afrikaans vernacular name Bietou is derived from the original Khosian name.
Text by J. A. Scott
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the subspecies | |
| 1 | Leaves obovate to elliptic, 2–6 cm long, 1–3 cm wide, base gradually attenuate, margins toothed with often apiculate lobes; fruit globose to subglobose. Inner involucral bracts broad-ovate to lanceolate, usually with wooly and ± lacerate margins. Ray florets 4–8; ligules 7–14 mm long | subsp. monilifera |
| Leaves broader than above, obovate to broad-obovate or broad-elliptic, 3–7 cm long, 1.5–5 cm wide, base abruptly attenuate, margins mostly ± entire or toothed; fruit obovoid to ellipsoid. Inner involucral bracts narrow-ovate to lanceolate, usually with ± glabrous and ± entire margins. Ray florets 5–13; ligules 8–10 mm long | subsp. rotundata |
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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