Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

Calotis dentex

Flowering stems. Photographer Don Wood, Carnarvon Station Bush Heritage Reserve via Augathella, Qld

Flower heads, spent flower heads, and leaves. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer Murray Fagg, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, ACT

Seeds. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer B Clinton, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, ACT

Common name

A Burr-daisy

Family

Asteraceae

Where found

Forest. Coast, ranges, and the eastern edge of the tablelands, mainly north from the Illawarra Highway.

Notes

Perennial shrub to 0.80 m high, hairy. 'Seeds' flattened, 1.5–2 mm long, red brown, smooth or with minute warts on the faces; with 2 (rarely 1 or 3) spines 4–6.6 mm long, with barbed tips. 'Seeds' stick to clothing. Basal leaves absent. Stem leaves alternating up the stems, 2–9 cm long, 4–11 mm wide, sparsely hairy, margins toothed to deeply and irregularly lobed; upper leaves often entire. Flower heads 7–13 mm in diameter, with white 'petals' about 10 mm long, and yellow centres. Flowering: Oct.–Apr.

Definite identification of all species of Calotis is made by examining the seeds.

PlantNET description with line drawings:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Calotis~dentex 
(accessed 7 January, 2021)