Prostanthera lithospermoides F.Muell. APNI*
Description: Erect, woody shrub to 3 metres tall. Branchlets densely covered in antrorse hairs c. 0.25–1 mm long, surface green or reddish green, developing smooth brown bark.
Leaves yellowish or greyish green; petiole 1–2.5 mm long; lamina narrowly ovate, elliptic or obovate, 6–32 mm long, 1.5–7 mm wide; upper and lower surface covered by antrorse, appressed hairs c. 0.25–1 mm long, sessile glands not visible, base tapering to attenuate or cuneate, margin entire and flat, apex acute or apiculate, midvein partly distinct; plant parts lacking aroma when crushed.
Flowers appearing axillary on a foliose conflorescence, or appearing racemose; covered by hairs similar to leaves; Pedicel short, 0.5–1.5 mm long; Prophylls persistent until fruiting, strongly narrowly ovate, elliptic, or obovate, to linear, about as long as calyx tube (1.5–3 mm long), c. 0.5 mm wide; Calyx yellowish or greyish green with partially raised nerves on tube, tube 1.5–3 mm long, lower lobe 1.5–3 mm long, upper lobe 2–3.5 mm long; Corolla 10–15 mm long, white with a mauve wash at distal ends of lobes, throat white and covered with orange spots; Stamens white, connective appendage to 1.2 mm long.
Fruiting calyx larger than flowering calyx (accrescent), upper lobe becoming distinctively apiculate. Mericarps c. 1–1.5 mm long, surface pitted, dark brown.
Flowering: August to May
Distribution and occurrence: Western slopes from Narrabri north to Boggabilla. NSW subdivisions: NWS. Grows in sandy soil within sclerophyll woodland shrubland mixed with Callitris. NSW subdivisions: NWS.
NSW subdivisions: NWS
Text by T.C.Wilson Taxon concept:
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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