RHODANTHE

Rhodanthe Lindl., Edward’s Bot. Reg. 20: t.1703. 1834.

Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves alternate or subopposite, cauline or basal simple. Capitula solitary or variously clustered, sessile or pedunculate; heads cylindrical to subglobose. Phyllaries multiseriate, stiff and scarious with flattened claw, the inner often with white or coloured radiating laminae. Receptacle flat to conical, glabrous or hairy, naked or paleate with thin paleae. Florets 1-numerous, bisexual or the outer female, the innermost sometimes male. Corolla tubular or funnelform above, +/- actinomorphic. Anthers with weak filiform tails. Style branches truncate to triangular, papillose. Cypselae hairy; pappus of several narrowly to broadly plumose bristles, persistent or caducous, not breaking evenly from base.

46 species

Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. rosea

Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. rosea (Hook.) Paul G. Wilson, Nuytsia 8 (3): 387. 1992; Acroclinum roseum Hook., Bot. Mag. 80t. 4801. 1854; Helichrysum roseum (Hook.) Baill., Hist. Pl. (Baillon) 8: 314. 1882; Helipterum roseum (Hook.) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3: 640. 1867; Rhodanthe rosea (Hook.) Hemsl., Handb. Hardy Trees: 256. 1873.

Annual winter herb, 20-70 cm tall. Stems usually 1 and erect, branched at base, sometimes decumbent to procumbent, faintly striated, green to greyish green, glabrous. Leaves cauline, alternate, sessile, 14-45 mm x 3-7 mm, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 1-veined, base cuneate to truncate, margin entire or serrulate, apex acute to acuminate. Capitula solitary on stem tips, pedunculate, +/- disciform, 3-6 cm across, gradually decreasing in size as flowering progresses. Involucre campanulate to hemispheric, up to 1.5 cm in diameter; phyllaries in up to 8 series, imbricate, outer 3-4 series smallest, inner progressively larger, stiff and scarious with flattened claw; claws 5-6 mm x 4-4.5 mm enclosing the florets, green; limbs 15-20 mm x 5-7 mm, oblong, colour of bracts deep pink through pale pink to pure white. Receptacle flat, epaleate; florets 100+, all discoid, 6-7 mm long, mostly bisexual, occasionally female; outer 2-3 peripheral rows fertile, inner sterile. Corolla tubular, +/-4 mm long, proximal 1/3rd part narrow and hairy, lobes 5, ca. 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm, triangular. Stamens 5, included, anthers with weak filiform tails. Ovary asymmetrically oblong, densely silky-pilose; style branches truncate, papillose. Cypselae densely silky-pilose, ca. 2 mm long. Pappi of 9-18 free (or basally connate) bristles in 1 series, 3.5-4 mm long and nearly equal to corolla, subplumose or plumose.

Flowering and Fruiting: February to May
Common Names: Rosy Everlasting, Straw Flower, Everlasting Daisy, Everlasting Paper Daisy, Pink and White Everlasting, Rosy Sunray