Dipteracanthus australasicus F.Muell. subsp. australasicus

Barker, R.M. (1986) Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens 9: 87. Type: Coopers River, A.C. Gregory. Also on the plains along the Dawson and Burdekin Rivers and their tributaries - Ferd. Mueller.

Desert Petunia

Compact shrub 30-150 cm tall. Stems clothed in erect hairs.

Leaf blades ovate to oblong, rounded at base, acute to obtuse at apex, upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade clothed in hairs, lateral veins 3-4 on each side of the midrib, leaf blade 7-23 x 6-23 mm, petioles 2-8 mm long.

Flowers solitary, axillary, 18-20 mm diam, subtended by 2 large leaf-like bracts. Pedicel 1-6 mm long. Calyx 5-6 mm long, the lobes linear, ca. 3 mm long, clothed in pale hairs. Corolla 20-25 mm long, tube 15-18 mm long, lobes +/- orbicular, 5-7 mm long. Stamens dimorphic, attached to the throat of the corolla tube. Anthers ca. 2 mm long, filaments 4 or 7 mm long. Pollen white. Staminode one. Ovary ca. 2 mm long, each locule with 2 rows of ovules. Style ca. 14 mm long. Stigma flat, ovate, ca. 2 mm long.

Capsule 10-17 mm long with 3-5 seeds in each valve. Seed 4.0-4.5 mm diameter. Seed with appressed hairs around rim.

Features not available.

A native species, occurring in all States. Vine thicket, Monsoon forest