Gnephosis acicularis
{{short description|Species of plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Gnephosis acicularis.jpg
|image_caption = Near Morawa
|genus = Gnephosis
|species = acicularis
|authority = Benth.{{cite web |title=Gnephosis acicularis |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/115205|publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=29 May 2025}}
|synonyms =
}}
Gnephosis acicularis, commonly known as zigzag gnephosis,{{FloraBase|name=Gnephosis acicularis|id=7987}} is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect annual herb with linear leaves, yellow flowers in egg-shaped heads, and brown, oval cypselas.
Description
Gnephosis acicularis is a erect annual herb with erect stems and branches up to {{cvt|80–330|mm}} long. Leaves are arranged alternately, sessile, linear, about {{cvt|3–47|mm}} long and {{cvt|0.1–0.9|mm}} wide. The flowers are arranged in clusters of 6 to 50 in an oval or egg-shaped head {{cvt|4.2–7|mm}} long and {{cvt|4-12|mm}} in diameter. There are 15 to 20 bracts in about three rows at the base of the heads. The petals are yellow and form a tube {{cvt|1.3–1.6|mm}} long and there are five stamens. Flowering has been observed from late September to about mid November and the fruit is a brown achene {{cvt|0.4–0.5|mm}} long with the pappus about the length of the petals.{{cite journal |last1=Short |first1=Philip Sydney |title=Notes concerning the classification of species included in Calocephalus R.Br. s.lat. and Gnephosis Cass. s.lat. (Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae), with descriptions of new genera and species. |journal=Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens |date=2016 |volume=29 |pages=197–198 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/325334#page/196/mode/1up |access-date=30 May 2025}}
Taxonomy and naming
Gnephosis acicularis was first formally described in 1867 by George Bentham in his Flora Australiensis from specimens collected by James Drummond.{{cite web |title=Gnephosis acicularis |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/rest/instance/apni/549596 |publisher=Australian Plant Name Index |access-date=29 May 2025}}{{cite book |last1=Bentham |first1=George |title=Flora Australiensis |date=1867 |publisher=Lovell Reeves & Co. |location=London |page=572 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/41807#page/580/mode/1up |access-date=30 May 2025}} The specific epithet (acicularis) means 'needle-pointed', referring to the leaves.{{cite book |last1=George |first1=A.S |last2=Sharr |first2=F.A |title=Western Australian Plant Names and their meanings |date=2021 |publisher=Four Gables |location=Kardinya |isbn=9780958034197 |page=126 |edition=4th}}
Distribution and habitat
Zigzag gnephosis is only known from sandy, salty soils near salt lakes in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Mallee and Yalgoo bioregions of south-western Western Australia.
References
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Category:Flora of Western Australia