Pimelea prostrata subsp. prostrata

Detailed description

A small shrub; stems prostrate, often thin and flexible, creeping on open areas or in low vegetation, pendent on banks, cliffs, up to 300 mm long. Stems may be partially buried on sandy substrates; adventitious roots may develop on these, or on stems in moist habitats. Branching sympodial and lateral. Branchlets uniformly yellowish-brown to brown, usually smooth but sometimes muricate, glabrous except in leaf axils and on receptacles, or sparsely to moderately clad in short, silky hair. Internodes 1–4 mm long. Older stems grey-brown to dark grey. Node buttresses light to medium brown, occupying part or all of the internode; occasionally prominent on leafless branches. Leaves close (exposed or drier sites) or distant (shaded sites), patent, on short red petioles. Lamina glaucous, often red-margined, usually 3–6 × 1.5–4 mm, thin, elliptic to broad-elliptic, flat, tip obtuse. Inflorescences 5–8-flowered, terminal on branchlets. Involucral bracts to 5.6 × 4.2 mm. Flowers relatively sparsely hairy outside, inside hairless, on very short pedicels (0.2 mm). Female tube 2.5 mm long, ovary portion red, 2 mm; calyx lobes 1.2 × 1.2 mm; h tube 4.8 mm long, ovary portion 2 mm; calyx lobes 2 × 1.5 mm. Ovary moderately hairy at summit. Fruits broad ovoid to globose, fleshy, white, opaque 4.2 × 2.8 mm. Seeds narrow-ovoid 2.5 × 1.5 mm, crest very thin.