Straggling Androcalva  |  

Androcalva bivillosa

Status: Critically Endangered on the EPBC Act list

Shrub decumbent or prostrate, 0.1–0.5 x 0.4–2.5 m, suckering not observed. Young stems with dense, sessile, white, pale brown or white, stellate hairs with 6–10 erect arms up to 1.1 mm long, over smaller stellate hairs, and with or without occasional, intermixed, white, clavate glandular trichomes up to 0.1 mm long. Stipules narrowly ovate or ovate, 1.7–5.5 x 0.45–1.3 mm; apex acute or acuminate, entire. Mature leaves petioles 2.1–6 mm long; blade flat or crisped, margins moderately recurved, base unequal, obtuse; ovate, elliptic or oblong, 5.5–23 x 3–16.1 mm (juvenile leaves ~33 x 15 mm); discolorous dark green, glossy over paler green; abaxial surface tomentose, blade and ribs with sessile, white, stellate hairs with 6 –12 erect arms up to 0.5 mm long, over smaller, stellate hairs, ribs with or without scattered, brown, stellate hairs, glandular trichomes absent; adaxial surface with scattered, to medium-density, sessile, white, stellate hairs with 1–6 erect arms up to 0.7 mm long, glandular trichomes absent. Inflorescence 12.2–16mm long, 3–9 flowered. Bud base dark pink, apex white or pink; calyx lobes valvate; apex rounded. Peduncle 13.7mm long. Pedicel non-articulated, 3.5–6.8mm long. Peduncle and pedicel with dense, sessile, white, stellate hairs with ~6 erect arms up to 0.35 mm long, and intermixed medium-density, redtipped, clavate, glandular trichomes up to 0.4 mm long. Bract narrowly ovate, to linear-lanceolate, 2.8–4.5 x 0.3–0.8 mm. Calyx white with tinge of pink or red at base; total calyx length 3–4.6 mm long; tube 0.8–1.4mm long; lobes ovate, 2.1–3.3 x 1.1–2.1, 70 – 73% of total, apex acute; abaxial surface with dense, white, stellate hairs with ~6 erect arms up to 0.7 mm long, and intermixed, medium-density, red-tipped, clavate, glandular trichomes up to 0.7 mm long; adaxial surface base glabrous, central lobe with scattered, white, simple, appressed hairs up to 0.2 mm long, glandular trichomes absent towards margin with medium-density, simple hairs up to 0.1 mm long. Petals white throughout or with base tinged with yellow or pink; 2.5–3 x 2.1–2.4 mm; glabrous; base when lateral lobes flattened obovate to obcordate, margin flat; apical ligule subsessile, obovate to broadly obovate, 1.7–1.9 x 1–1.1 mm. Staminal tube 0.45–0.8mm long. Staminodes 3 between each stamen; central staminode ovate-lanceolate, white, 1.4–2.2 x 0.55–0.6 mm; 2 lateral staminodes linear, white, papillose, adnate to central staminode, 0.8–1.3 x 0.1–0.15mm. Filaments 0.15–0.8 x 0.1–0.2 mm. Anthers dark red, with paler red connective, 0.4–0.5 x 0.7–0.8 mm. Ovary 5-loculate, ovoid, 0.7–1.1 x 0.7 –1.1 mm; outer surface with pre-setae outgrowths. Ovules 5–9 per locule. Styles 0.6–0.8mm long. Fruit ellipsoid; wings absent; thin woody wall 0.2 mm wide; 9–11 x 9–12 mm; outer surface with white, stellate hairs beneath dense setae throughout, 3.5–4.3 mm long; setae shaft staight, with medium-density, mainly simple but with occasional sessile or short-stalked, stellate hairs with 2–4 arms up to 0.3 mm long, glandular trichomes absent; apical hair with ~ 6 white arms; central-axis hairs up to 0.2 mm long. Seed obovate, exotesta black or dark brown, prominently aculeate or verrucate 1.8–2.2 x 1.2–1.5. Aril a white, translucent cap, ~1.2 x 1.5 mm.

Government evidence of impact of climate change:

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  • Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Androcalva bivillosa

    The global threat of climate change may impact this species.

    A lack of; or inappropriate nature of; fire or soil disturbance may in the long term threaten the viability of populations.