Nuytsia 8: 3 (1998) - FloraBase

Nuytsia 

WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC BOTANY 

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AUSTRALIA 

The classification of 

Australian species currently 

included in Helipterum 

and related genera 

(Asteraceae: 

Gnaphalieae): Part 1 

Nuytsia 8: 3 (1998) 

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© Copyright Department of Environment and Conservation 

ISSN 0085–4417 

Paul G. Wilson

Paul G. Wilson, Helipterum: Part 1 

The classification of Australian species currently included in Helipterum 

and related genera (Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae): Part 1 

Paul G. Wilson 

Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Conservation and Land Management, 

PO Box 104, Como, Western Australia 6152 

Abstract 

Wilson, Paul G. The classification of Australian species currently included in Helipterum and related 

genera (Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae): Part 1. Nuytsia 8(3): 379-438 (1992). The name Helipterum DC. is 

recognised as being illegitimate and not applicable to Australian taxa. The Australian species currently 

included in that genus and in the related genera Cephalipterum, Gilberta, Triptilodiscus and Pterochaeta 

are reclassified. One genus, Haptotrichion, is described as new. Under Rhodanthe 11 sections are 

recognised of which 1 is new and 10 are new combinations. Eight new species of Rhodanthe and one 

new species of Haptotrichion are described, these are R. ascendens, R. collina, R. cremea, R. gossypina, 

R. nullarborensis, R. psammophila, R. rufescens, R. sphaerocephala and H. colwillii. A number of new 

species combinations are made. Descriptions are given for each of the recognised genera and sections. 

Contents Page 

Introduction 380 

Rhodanthe 383 

Rhodanthe sect. Rhodanthe 

383 

Rhodanthe sect. Monencyanthes 384 

Rhodanthe sect. Leiochrysum 385 

Rhodanthe sect. Achyroclinoides 399 

Rhodanthe sect. Citrinae 406 

Rhodanthe sect. Synachryum 408 

Rhodanthe sect. Helipteridium 412 

Rhodanthe sect. Helichrysoides 412 

Rhodanthe sect. Actinaria 414 

Rhodanthe sect. Anisolepis 415 

Rhodanthe sect. Polyphyllum 416 

379

380 Nuytsia Vol. 8, No. 3 (1992) 

Contents Page 

Cephalipterum 417 

Erymophyllum 418 

Hyalosperma 419 

Gilberta 419 

Triptilodiscus 

420 

Haegiela 421 

Pterochaeta 422 

Haptotrichion 422 

Acknowledgements 426 

References 426 

Index to Scientific Names 427 

Index to name changes 436 

Introduction 

As has been pointed out by many syantherologists (Hilliard & Burtt 1981, Anderberg 1989, 1991, 

Wilson 1989a), the genera Helipterum Lindley (1836), Helipterum DC. (1838) and Helichrysum Miller, 

in the strict sense, do not occur in Australia and, in any event, the first name is illegitimate and is to be 

typified by a South African species currently placed in Helichrysum (Wilson 1989a), while the second 

is illegitimate and is to be typified by a South African species of Syncarpha DC. (Nordenstam 1989). 

The difference between the genera Helipterum DC. and Helichrysum, as enunciated by A. de Candolle 

(1838), is that in Helipterum the pappus bristles are plumose whereas in Helichrysum they tend to be 

barbellate, or plumose only at the apex. A strict interpretation of this distinction can lead to a placement 

of related species into separate genera, although the distinction has meant that closely related species 

have usually been placed together in either Helipterum or in Helichrysum. 

In order to classify the species currently included in Helipterum and Helichrysum it has been 

necessary to study related genera of the Gnaphalieae (sensu Anderberg 1989) such as Leptorhynchus, 

Ixiolaena, Waitzia, Podolepis, Podotheca, Myriocephalus, as well as several monotypic genera. 

The revised classification has resulted in the recognition of additional genera and the rearrangement 

of the species currently in Helipterum and Helichrysum. Some of the resulting genera are being revised 

by other botanists whose work I do not wish to compromise by producing a comprehensive classification 

lacking in the information that they will be able to provide. Therefore in this paper I am formally treating 

a portion of the Helipterum complex while indicating the genera into which other species currently 

included in Helipterum are likely to be transferred.


The classification that follows for a portion of the Helipterum complex in Australia attempts to 

associate closely related species and to segregate as distinct genera those species or groups of species 

that exhibit marked morphological discontinuity. In Rhodanthe I have not been successful in interpreting 

the phylogenetic significance of the varied morphological forms that are adopted by homologous 

organs. In the achene, for example, the pericarp and testa can have many different textures and structures 

(Short et al. 1989), yet to generically separate taxa that have dissimilar achenes can lead to the separation 

of species which otherwise have markedly similar florets and similar bract morphologies. For this reason 

I have adopted a sectional rank for taxa that may later be shown to deserve generic rank and which were 

sometimes so accorded by early 19th century taxonomists. 

I have not attempted to place all the genera of the 'Angiantheae’ sensu Bentham (1867) in context 

with those of the Helipterum complex but it is obvious that a close relationship often exists. This type 

of synoptic work will have to be done by others; my principal concern is to provide a classification that 

can be used for a 'Flora of Australia’ treatment and, from the pressure of time alone, many interesting 

phylogenetic avenues must remain unexplored. 

This paper considers the Rhodanthe, Hyalosperma and Triptilodiscus groups of species, most of 

which have, in general, been placed in Helipterum. These groups can be informally categorized as 

follows. 

Rhodanthe group: Inner involucral bracts with broad flat claws; anthers with fine filamentous tails; 

achenes with normal (mostly not thickened) duplex hairs. Species in this group, with the exception of 

Rhodanthe citrina, that have been examined, do not form ectomycorrhiza (Warcup 1990). 

Hyalosperma group: As above, however, achenes lacking normal duplex hairs but with 2-celled bulbous 

papillae that are frequently myxogenic; pappus shed entire. Species in this group that have been 

examined form ectomycorrhiza (Warcup op.cit.) 

Triptilodiscus group: Species in this group have achenes with 2-celled tooth-like trichomes and oblong 

or boat-shaped claws to the involucral bracts. Other characters suggest that the included genera may 

not be closely related and that the group is polyphyletic; this therefore becomes a grouping of 

convenience. In only Triptilodiscus has the mycorrhizal association been investigated; it was found 

to form ectomycorrhiza (Warcup op.cit.). 

The genus Rhodanthe, which is by far the largest of the segregate genera, is circumscribed to contain 

the majority of the Australian species previously included in Helipterum. Some of the remaining species 

are listed under other genera in this paper. Those species excluded from the present treatment are as 

follows: 

Helipterum albicans (Cunn.) DC., Helipterum fitgibbonii F. Muell., H. molle (DC.) Paul G. Wilson, and 

H. stipitatum (F. Muell.) Benth. have been transferred to Leucochrysum (DC.) Paul G. Wilson, (see 

Wilson 1992a) a genus closely related to Waitzia. 

Helipterum niveum Steetz is closely related to Helichrysum obtusifolium Sonder; both species will be 

segregated, with others, in a genus to be described. 

Helipterum saxatile Paul G. Wilson is closely related to Helichrysum podolepidium F. Muell., these two 

species will, with others, be placed in a genus to be described. 

381


Helipterum craspedioides is conspecific with Myriocephalus morrisonianus and is possibly best 

recognised as a member of the genus Polycalymma (but see Short et al. 1989 and Anderberg 1991). 

Helipterum adpressum W. Fitzg. (= Helichrysum puteale S. Moore) and Helipterum pterochaetum 

(F. Muell.) Benth. have been transferred to the genus Chrysocephalum Walp. as C. puteale 

(S. Moore) Paul G. Wilson and C. pterochaetum F. Muell. (see Anderberg 1991 and Wilson, Short & 

Orchard 1992). 

The species that are here placed in Rhodanthe form a polymorphic assemblage that is divided into 

eleven sections. Some of the sections that have obvious problems associated with them are briefly 

discussed below. 

The sect. Monencyanthes, in which the achenes are persistent and the capitula caducous, contains 

three species. These species probably attained their specialised condition independently for each has 

features that suggest derivation from a different ancestor possibly of the Achyroclinoides type. 

The species in sect. Leiochrysum are diverse in vegetative and floral morphology. The organs appear 

to vary in morphology independently from each other and I have been unable to correlate characters 

in a manner that would achieve a more natural classification. 

The sect. Helichrysoides appears to be a monophyletic group which, at one extreme has affinity to 

the genus Podotheca and, at the other, to species in sect. Leiochrysum. Its correct taxonomic status 

is uncertain (see also Anderberg 1991). 

Each of the sections Anisolepis (1 sp.), Actinaria (2 spp.), and Helipteridium (1 sp.), has very 

distinctive involucral bracts but each shows little difference in floral morphology to certain species in 

sect. Achyroclinoides; I have therefore included these sections in Rhodanthe rather than give them 

generic status. 

The sect. Citrinae, with the single species R. citrina, has been difficult to place. Due to the beaked 

apex to its achene this species has been previously included in Waitzia. It differs radically from Waitzia 

in that the involucral bracts have flat claws with an undivided stereome (fide Anderberg 1991), the style 

apex is truncate, and the achenes pilose. It differs from other species of Rhodanthe in sometimes having 

the outer florets female (not hermaphrodite) and in being an ectomycorrhizal species (Warcup 1990). Both 

these characters suggest a relationship with species such as Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Labill.) Steetz 

and Leucochrysum albicans (Cunn.) Paul G. Wilson, but the morphology of the achenes and corollas 

of the three species is quite different. It possibly deserves recognition as a distinct genus. 

Rhodanthe polyphyllum, which is placed in the monotypic section Polyphyllum, is a further anomaly 

since it has stout, branched anther tails and clustered, filiform leaves. It appears to have no close relative 

in the Helipterum - Helichrysum complex. Nevertheless I have included it in Rhodanthe with which it 

appears to have greatest affinity. Again, it may deserve recognition as a distinct genus.


Catalogue of taxa 

In this Catalogue I have listed the accepted names and their synonyms in the Rhodanthe, 

Hyalosperma and Triptilodiscus groups. For new taxa and for all genera and sections I have provided 

descriptions. Where it has been necessary I have lectotypified names. 

Rhodanthe Lindley, Bot. Reg. t.1703(1834). 

The Rhodanthe group 

Rhodanthe Lindley 

Helichrysum sect. Rhodanthe (Lindley) Baillon, Hist. Pl. 8:314(1886). Type: R. manglesii Lindley 

Roccardia Necker ex Voss, Vilm. Blumengärtn. ed.3, 1:530(1895) nom. illeg. non Necker ex Raf.(1838). 

Type: R. manglesii (Lindley) Voss [=Rhodanthe manglesii Lindley]. 

Annual or short-lived perennial herbs, woolly, puberulous, pilose, glandular, or glabrous. Leaves 

mostly alternate, simple, entire, rarely terete. Capitula homogamous or heterogamous, solitary or 

clustered, radiant or not; subtending leaves, when present, grading into the outer bracts. Involucral 

bracts multi-seriate, glumaceous or scarious, rarely with a herbaceous tip; claws oblong with narrow or 

broad undivided stereome (Anderberg 1991). Receptacle glabrous, or pilose around alveolae, 

predominantly ebracteate. Florets bisexual or the innermost male, otherwise homomorphic. Corolla 

tubular at base, usually turbinate above, glabrous or sparsely puberulous; lobes 5, equal or not, inner 

epidermis with cells not oblong in transverse rows. Anther tails filamentous and weak. Style apex 

truncate to ellipsoid or deltoid. Achene with normal duplex hairs; carpopodium annular or absent. 

Pappus bristles barbellate to plumose. 

1. Rhodanthe Lindley sect. Rhodanthe 

Annual erect herb, glabrous. Leaves cauline, sessile, suborbicular, base decurrent on each side of 

stem. Capitula heterogamous, solitary on slender branches. Involucre turbinate; bracts multi-seriate, 

papery, petaloid; claw with scarious margin and narrow-oblong thin stereome. Receptacle rounded, 

smooth, glabrous. Florets numerous, mainly bisexual but the innermost male, 5-merous. Corolla 

actinomorphic, glabrous; upper portion cup-shaped; lobes not papillose; veins extending into base of 

lobes. Stamens: anther appendage cordate, acute, the cells narrow-oblong towards apex, equilateral near 

base; anther tails filamentous, weak; collar narrow-oblong. Style apex narrow-deltoid, vascular trace not 

extending to tip. Achene obovoid, dorsiventrally compressed, densely silky to base; carpopodium 

absent; pericarp thin, translucent, in medial position in relation to the cotyledons; testa thin, translucent, 

± fused to pericarp, the vascular strand extending almost completely around seed; crystals absent. 

Pappus persistent; bristles plumose, the cilia all acute. 

A monotypic section that is most closely related to species in sect. Leiochrysum. It is distinctive 

in being glabrous, in having suborbicular sessile decurrent leaves, and possessing an anther appendage 

and a style apex that are unique in the genus. 

383


Rhodanthe manglesii Lindley, Bot. Reg. 20: t.1703(1834). - Helipterum manglesii (Lindley) Benth., Fl. 

Austral. 3:640(1867). - Helichrysum manglesii (Lindley) Baillon, Hist. Pl. 8:314(1886). - Argyrocome 

manglesii (Lindley) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). - Roccardia manglesii (Lindley) Voss, Vilm. 

Blumengärtn. 3rd edn, 1:531(1895). Type: Swan River Colony, leg. J. Drummond, n.v. 

Rhodanthe atrosanguinea J. Drumm. ex hort., Gard. Chron. no. 27:622(1861). Type: Limestone Hills, 

Champion Bay, W.A., J. Drummond, n.v. 

Rhodanthe manglesii var. sanguinea Hook., Bot. Mag. 87:t.5283(1861). - Roccardia manglesii f. 

sanguinea (Hook.) Voss, Vilm. Blumengärtn. 3rd edn, 1:531(1895). Type: Western Australia, 

J. Drummond, n.v. 

Roccardia manglesii f. ligulosa Voss, Vilm. Blumengärtn. 3rd edn, 1:531(1895). Type: not indicated. 

Helipterum cryptanthum O. Sarg., J. Bot. 61:285(1923). Type: Mt Brown, York, Western Australia, 

O. Sargent 1404 (holo: BM; ?iso: MEL 109635 Sargent 1404a). 

2. Rhodanthe sect. Monencyanthes (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Monencyanthes A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:229(1852). 

Helipterum sect. Monencyanthes (A. Gray) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:648(1867). Type: Monencyanthes 

gnaphalioides (Hook.) A. Gray 

Annual herbs, variably woolly. Leaves cauline, linear to narrow-oblong, entire. Capitula heterogamous, 

sessile or subsessile in terminal glomerules, caducous. Involucre ellipsoidal, narrow-cylindrical, or cupshaped, 

not radiant; bracts scarious, woolly ciliate, the inner with linear hard claw. Receptacle 

insignificant or rounded, with or without receptacular bracts. Florets 1-c. 12, bisexual or male, 5-merous. 

Corolla actinomorphic, cylindrical or narrow-turbinate, glabrous. Stamens: anther appendage broad 

ovate, obtuse, the cells narrow-oblong, thin-walled; anther tails filamentous, weak. Style apex truncate, 

papillose. Achene ellipsoidal, c. 2.5 mm long, persistent on receptacle, sparsely short pilose; carpopodium 

absent; pericarp membranous, hyaline, and with crystals (M. maryonii) or outer layer with thickened 

brown radial walls and crystals absent, nerves medial or medial-oblique in relation to cotyledons (Short 

et al. 1989); testa membranous and fused to pericarp or somewhat leathery and free (M. maryonii), 

crystals present. Pappus persistent, the bristles plumose weak with a few long cilia. 

Notes. This taxon was treated in a very broad sense as a section of Helipterum by Bentham (1867) 

so as to include some species now placed in Chrysocephalum, Rhodanthe sect. Achyroclinoides, and 

Hyalosperma. I have restricted it to those species with a woolly indumentum, and caducous capitula 

with persistent shortly hirsute achenes that have a persistent pappus. The included species, though 

superficially similar, probably arose independently from different species with caducous achenes 

since in the microscopic structure of the corolla each displays a significantly different morphology. 

It is interesting that in the achene of R. maryonii the pericarp bears crystals (presumably of calcium 

oxalate) whereas in all other species of Rhodanthe that have crystals in the achene they are found only


in the testa. Short et al. (1989) record that of the members of the Inuleae that they examined, crystals 

in the pericarp were only found in Craspedia aff. pleiocephala. 

Rhodanthe moschata (Cunn. ex DC.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Gnaphalium moschatum Cunn. ex DC., Prod. 6:236(1838). - Helipterum moschatum (DC.) Benth., Fl. 

Austral. 3:648(1867). Argyrocome moschata (DC.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309 (1891). Type: Molle’s 

Plains, Lachlan River, Interior of New South Wales, 1817, A. Cunningham (holo: G-DC photo seen). 

Calocephalus gnaphalioides Hook. in T. Mitch., J. Exped. Int. Trop. Austral. 378(1849). - Monencyanthes 

gnaphalioides (Hook.) A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 6:230(1852). Type: T.L. Mitchell, n.v. 

This species is often confused with R. tietkensii which may be distinguished by its more numerous 

florets (c. 10 to a head), and absence of prominent glandular hairs on the corolla lobes. In R. moschata 

there are c. 3 florets to a capitulum (1 or 2 bisexual) and prominent glands on the lobes. 

A collection from the Simpson Desert, Northern Territory (G. Chippendale, NT 6577, herb. AD) 

appears to be a hybrid between R. tietkensii and R. moschata. The herb. NT duplicate of this collection 

is of true R. moschata. Rhodanthe tietkensii has been found in the same area. 

Material collected in northern Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, differs from the common variant in 

having milky white (not scarious) involucral bracts. 

Rhodanthe uniflora (J. Black) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum uniflorum J. Black, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 41:651 t.43(1917). Lectotype 

(here chosen): Koppermanna, 7 Oct. 1916, S.A. White (AD 98625090 p.p.), isolecto: MEL 110472, NSW 

181468. 

Rhodanthe maryonii (S. Moore) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum maryonii S. Moore, J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 45:182(1920). Type: Mulline, J.E.C. Maryon (holo: BM; 

iso: MEL 110713, NSW 181424). 

3. Rhodanthe sect. Leiochrysum (DC.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum sect. Leiochrysum DC., Prod. 6:216(1838). Lectotype (here designated): Helipterum 

polygalifolium DC. [=Rhodanthe polygalifolia (DC.) Paul G. Wilson]. 

Helipterum sect. Sericophorum DC., Prod. 6:216(1838). Lectotype (here designated): Helipterum 

humboldtianum (Gaudich.) DC. [=Rhodanthe humboldtiana (Gaudich.) Paul G. Wilson]. 

Pteropogon DC., Prod. 6:245(1838). - Pteropogon sect. Facelioides A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. 

Misc. 4:267(1852) nom. illeg. - Helipterum sect. Pteropogon (DC.) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:639(1867). Type: 

P. pygmaeus DC. 

385


Xyridanthe Lindley, Sketch Veg. Swan Riv. Col. 23(1839). Type: X. stricta Lindley 

Acroclinium A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:270(1852). - Helichrysum sect. Acroclinium 

(A.Gray) Baill., Hist. Pl. 8:174, 314(1882); F. Muell., Fragm. 3:32(1862) nomen. Lectotype (here designated): 

A. multicaule A. Gray [=Rhodanthe chlorocephala (Turcz.) Paul G. Wilson]. 

Griffithia J. Black, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 37:122(1913). Type: G. helipteroides J. Black 

[=Rhodanthe oppositifolia (S. Moore) Paul G. Wilson]. 

Annual herbs (rarely short-lived perennial), glabrous or variously pubescent. Leaves linear to 

oblong, entire. Capitula heterogamous or homogamous, solitary or clustered. Involucre globular to 

cylindrical or turbinate, radiant or not; bracts multiseriate, scarious, papery, or thinly cartilaginous; 

stereome oblong to linear, thin; claw of inner involucral bracts flat, scarious. Receptacle rounded to 

conical, smooth or pitted, glabrous or puberulous. Florets 5 to numerous, bisexual, or the innermost male, 

5-merous. Corolla actinomorphic to zygomorphic, almost glabrous to variously pubescent, cylindrical 

or expanded above, cells of inner epidermis of lobes equilateral to broad-oblong, smooth or papillose. 

Stamens: anther appendage narrow-deltoid to ovate or oblong, cells narrow-oblong; anther tails 

filamentous, weak; collar oblong or narrow-oblong. Style apex truncate to broadly deltoid, prominently 

papillose. Achene obovoid, compressed obovoid, or ellipsoid, 1.5-3.5 mm long, densely silky or 

moderately short pilose; carpopodium a short glabrous slightly tumid hollow base or absent; pericarp 

crustaceous, thinly coriaceous, or papery, vascular strands in medial or oblique position; testa 

membranous to thinly coriaceous, free from or fused to pericarp, the vascular strand 1/2 to 3/4 encircling 

seed; crystals in testa present or absent. Pappus persistent or caducous; bristles linear-lanceolate, 

plumose, the terminal cilia frequently rounded or clavate. 

Note 1. Candolle (1838) placed Helipterum polygalifolium and H. diffusum in his section Leiochrysum, 

I have selected the first of these as the lectotype since it better agrees with his sectional description. 

Note 2. Gray (1852) included two species in Pteropogon sect. Facelioides of which one was P. pygmaeus, 

the type of Pteropogon. His sectional name is therefore superfluous. 

Rhodanthe anthemoides (Sprengel) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helichrysum anthemoides Sieber ex Sprengel, Syst. Veg. 3:484(1826). - Helipterum anthemoides 

(Sprengel) DC., Prod. 6:216(1838). - Argyrocome anthemoides (Sprengel) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 

1:309(1891). - Roccardia anthemoides (Sprengel) Voss, Vilm. Blumengärtn. 3rd edn, 1:531(1895) 

'anthemodes’. Type: 'Nov Holl.’ probably F.W. Sieber 344 (iso: G-DC photo seen, K, MEL 109048, 604823). 

Helipterum punctatum DC., Prod. 6:216(1838). Type: Van-Diemen Land, R.Gunn 239 (holo: G-DC photo 

seen; ?iso: MEL 109067 p.p.). 

Rhodanthe chlorocephala (Turcz.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Schoenia chlorocephala Turcz., Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 24/1:193(March 1851). - 

Helipterum chlorocephalum (Turcz.) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:641(1867). - Argyrocome chlorocephala


(Turcz.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). - Roccardia chlorocephala (Turcz.) Voss, Vilm. Blumengärtn. 

3rd edn, 1:530(1896). Type: Western Australia, J. Drummond 4th coll. n. 199 (iso: MEL 109146, 109147, 

109148). 

Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. chlorocephala 

[Acroclinium multicaule A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:271(1852) as to var. ß not as to 

lectotype. Syntype: Swan river, J. Drummond (K).] 

I am applying the epithet subsp. chlorocephala in a narrow sense so as to restrict it to the form 

represented by the type collection of this taxon. This type was collected from an unknown locality in 

the south-west of Western Australia; it was included in Drummond’s fourth collection which was 

despatched to England in July 1847. According to Erickson (1969) the fourth collection consisted of 

plants gathered from King George Sound, Stirling Range, Porongorups, Mt Manypeaks, Cape Riche, 

West Mt Barren, and from north and east of Moore River. Of these various localities Rhodanthe 

chlorocephala is only known from the Moore River area but the only other specimens I have been able 

to match with the type are those that represent the original material of Acroclinium multicaule A.Gray 

var. ß which is an apparently undated and unnumbered collection of Drummond’s in herb. K. It is possible 

that the specimens that form the bases of R. chlorocephala and A. multicaule var. ß are from the same 

Drummond collection. 

Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. rosea (Hook.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. et subsp. nov. 

Acroclinium roseum Hook., Bot.Mag. t.4801(1854). - Helichrysum grayi F. Muell., Fragm. 5:200(1866). 

- Helipterum roseum (Hook.) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:640(1867). - Argyrocome rosea (Hook.) Kuntze, Revis. 

Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). - Roccardia rosea (Hook.) Voss, Vilm. Blumengärtn. 3rd edn, 1:531(1896). Type 

citation: 'A native of the interior of South-west Australia, between the Moore and Murchison rivers from 

whence the seeds were sent in 1853 by Mr. James Drummond, together with dried specimens (No. 157 

of his Herbarium).’ Lectotype (here chosen): J. Drummond 6th coll. no. 157 (lecto: K; isolecto: NSW 

180743). Syntype: Hort. Kew. 1854 from Drummond S.W. Australia (K). 

Acroclinium multicaule A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:271(1852). - Helichrysum 

drummondii F. Muell., Fragm. 5:200(1866). Lectotype (here chosen): Swan River, J. Drummond (lecto: 

?K n.v.; ?iso: P, 'J. Drummond 349’, annotated by A. Gray in 1851). 

Acroclinium roseum var. grandiflorum Nicholson, Ill. Dict. Gard. 1:18(1884). - Helipterum roseum var. 

grandiflorum (Nicholson) Chitt., Dict. Gardening 2nd edn, 2:978(1951). Type: not indicated. 

Acroclinium roseum var. album hort. ex Nicholson, Ill. Dict. Gard. 1:18(1884). - Helipterum album 

(Nicholson) L. Bailey, Cycl. Amer. Hort. 2:726(1900). - Helipterum roseum f. album (Nicholson) 

Moldenke, Phytologia 2:312(1947). Type: not indicated. 

Helipterum roseum var. nigropapposum Ostenf., Biol. Meddel. Kongel. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. 

3/2:140(1921). Type citation: 'Perth, King’s Park, in open sandy places (No.874; 10.Sept.1914).’ (iso: 

MEL 110494). 

387


[Helipterum troedelii var. patens Ewart, J. White & B. Rees, Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria 22 n.s.:15(1909). 

- Helipterum roseum var. patens (Ewart et al.) J. Black, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 

45:21(1921) as to syntype 'Fraser Range, 1891, R. Helms’, not as to lectotype. Syntype: Fraser Range, 

4 Oct.1891, R. Helms (MEL 110705, AD 96343013, NSW 180742).] 

The involucral bracts in this subspecies can be pink or white. 

Note. Asa Gray, under Acroclinium multicaule, described a variety a in which the ray bracts were white, 

and a variety ß in which the ray bracts were 'subaeruginosis’. The lectotype cited above is of the var. 

a which corresponds to R. chlorocephala subsp. rosea, var. ß is referred to subsp. chlorocephala. 

Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. splendida (Hemsley) Paul G. Wilson, subsp. et comb. nov. 

Helipterum splendidum Hemsley, Bot. Mag. t.7983(1904). - Helipterum roseum var. album Ewart et al., 

Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria n.s. 23:59(1910) nom.illeg. Type citation: 'Kew is indebted to Mr. G.F. Berthoud, 

of Waroona, near Drakesbrook, W. Australia, for dried specimens and seeds of this handsome plant, 

which he labelled:- "Native of North-western Districts." There are also herbarium specimens collected 

in open plains at Menzies, about a hundred miles north of Coolgardie, in about 29° 30’S. lat. and 121° E. 

long., by Cecil Andrews.’ Lectotype (here chosen): North-western Districts of Western Australia, 

26.x.1903, G.F. Berthoud (lecto: K; isolecto: MEL 110704). 

Rhodanthe chlorocephala is extremely variable. At one extreme is found in the Shark Bay area of 

Western Australia a large flowered variant with long (to 30 mm) cream-coloured limbs to the inner 

involucral bracts. At the other extreme is found a variant in the Nullarbor area of South Australia and 

Western Australia with small heads and short (c. 5 mm) white limbs. Between these extremes is a 

continuity of forms. In addition to the differences in size of the heads and bracts, and the presence of 

a black spot at the base of the limb in the large cream bracted variant, there are found colour forms that 

range from white to cream and various shades of pink. Hooker noted that in cultivation Acroclinium 

roseum had much larger heads than the wild plant from which the seed was obtained and this difference 

is apparent when comparing the Drummond herbarium material with Hooker’s illustration. 

The variant described by Ostenfeld as Helipterum roseum var. nigropapposum was collected in 

Perth; it is almost identical to Drummond’s collection no. 157 (from between the Moore and Murchison 

Rivers) on which the name Acroclinium roseum was based. 

The name A. multicaule A. Gray was based on two variants, as is noted above, of which one 

corresponds to subsp. chlorocephala and the other to subsp. rosea. 

The name A. roseum var. grandiflorum Nicholson was based on a large-headed rose-coloured variant 

while var. album Nicholson was based on a white variant, both variants are presumably forms of subsp. 

roseum. 

Ewart et al. (1909) based the name H. troedelii var. patens on two collections of which one, the 

lectotype, is Rhodanthe troedelii s.str. while the other (from the Fraser Range in Western Australia) 

is of the small 'Nullarbor’ variant of subsp. rosea. It was the latter specimen that J.M. Black first saw


and therefore transferred the variety to H. roseum in the first edition of the Flora of South Australia (1929). 

Rhodanthe collina Paul G. Wilson, sp. nov. (Figure 1) 

Annua erecta ad 20 cm alta. Caules graciles, atro-rubri, sparse puberuli et glanduloso punctati. Folia 

caulina alterna, aliquantum coriacea linearia vel anguste oblonga, integra, 8-15 mm longa, obtusa, margine 

saepe recurva, supra glabra, infra glanduloso punctata. Capitula heterogamia, solitaria, terminalia. 

Involucrum hemisphericum, c. 5 mm altum, radians. Bracteae multi-seriatae, glumaceae glabrae; bracteae 

intimae: ungue late elliptico c. 5 mm longo, stereomate lineari, duro, lamina oblongo-elliptica c. 6 mm longa, 

alba. Receptaculum conicum, glabrum. Flosculi numerosi, bisexuales vel masculi. Corolla actinomorpha, 

anguste cylindracea, c. 3.5 mm longa; lobi 5, triangulares, c. 0.4 mm longi; intra dense papillosi. 

Antherarum loculi c. 1 mm longi; appendix oblongo-ellipticus, acutus c. 0.4 mm longus, margine minute 

erosa, cellulis anguste oblongis, tenui-parietibus; caudi tenues, debiles. Styli rami apicem versus 

aliquantum latiores, apice rotundato longe papilloso, nervo gracili in medio rami terminanti. Achenium 

obovoideum c. 2 mm longum, atro-rubiginosum, dense albo-hirsutum, pilis crasso-parietibus; carpophorum 

annulare; pericarpium crustaceum; testa membranacea, atro-violaceum, ad pericarpio ± adnatum. 

Pappus in statu integro tarde deciduus; setae lineari-acuminatae, breviter plumosae, ciliis terminalibus 

clavatis. 

Typus: Paynes Find - Thundelarra road near Monger Lake, 29° 03' S, 117° 17' E, low hill of quartzite 

boulders, 27 Sept. 1986, Paul G. Wilson 12300 (holo: PERTH; iso: AD, BRI, CANB, K, MEL, NSW). 

Annual erect herb to 20 cm high branching at and above base. Major axes slender, dull reddish brown 

with a few small septate hairs and sessile globular glands. Leaves cauline, alternate, somewhat leathery, 

linear to narrow-oblong or spatulate, entire, 8 x 0.5 - 15 x 2 mm, obtuse, margin often recurved (at least 

when dry), glabrous above, sparsely covered below with sessile globular glands and with a few shorter 

septate hairs on midrib. Capitula heterogamous, solitary on slender leafless terminal peduncles. 

Involucre hemispherical, c. 5 mm high, radiant; bracts glumaceous, glabrous; outer and intermediate 

bracts elliptic, to 6 mm long, pale brown, with a short flat stereome; inner bracts: claw broad-elliptic, 

hyaline, c. 5 mm long with a hard linear stereome c. 2/3 its length; lamina oblong-elliptic, obtuse, c. 6 mm 

long, 2.5 mm wide, white. Receptacle conical, glabrous. Florets numerous, the outer bisexual and the 

inner male. Corolla narrow-tubular, somewhat constricted below middle, c. 3.5 mm high, yellow, sparsely 

puberulous towards base, wall thickened in lower half, vascular strands extending to base of lobes; lobes 

5, short erect, triangular, c. 0.4 mm long, all densely papillose within. Stamens: anther loculi c. 1 mm long; 

anther appendage oblong-elliptic, acute, c. 0.4 mm long, minutely erose on margin, cells narrow-oblong, 

walls unthickened except for a marginal row of small cells with thickened walls; anther tails very thin and 

delicate. Style branches broadened towards tip and with a rounded long-papillose apex; vascular strand 

very slender and terminating about half way along style branch. Achene obovoid, c. 2 mm long, very 

dark reddish brown, densely white-hirsute with thich-walled hairs, myxogenic; carpopodium annular; 

pericarp crustaceous with lignified reddish brown radial walls; testa very thin and weak, dark mauve, with 

scattered flat crystals, ± fused to pericarp. Pappus tardily deciduous as a whole; bristles linearacuminate, 

± equal to corolla, united in a short ring at base, shortly plumose, the terminal cilia clustered 

and clavate. 

Distribution. Near Yalgoo, central western Western Australia, in the far western area of the Austin 

Botanical District. 

389


Figure 1. Rhodanthe collina. A - Habit. B - Undersurface of leaf. C - Multicellular hispidulous and globular glandular 

trichomes from undersurface of leaf. D - Capitulum. E - Inner, intermediate, and outer involucral bracts. F - Receptacle. 

G - Floret. H - Corolla. I - Inner surface of apex of corolla. J - Apex of pappus bristle. K - Anther with enlargement of 

margin of appendix (tails drawn recurved for space exigencies). L - Apex of style with two papillae enlarged. M - Achene 

with apex of duplex hair enlarged. N - Achene showing position of seed and of its vascular strand. O - Enlargement of 

epidermis of pericarp. P - Enlargement of epidermis of testa showing crystals. From B.H. Smith 460.


Specimens examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 112 mile peg on the Yalgoo Road, A.M. Ashby 2976 

(AD, PERTH); Mt Gibson, B.H. Smith 460 (MEL, PERTH); Mingenew Hill, 29 Aug.1957, R.F. Watson 

(PERTH). 

Habitat. On rocky hills in exposed situations. 

Notes. This species would appear to have no close relatives although in habit and in indumentum it is 

similar to Rhodanthe diffusa. The unique anther appendages, style apices, and achenes combine to make 

it a very distinct species. 

Rhodanthe corymbiflora (Schldl.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum corymbiflorum Schldl., Linnaea 21:448(1848); Sonder, Linnaea 25:519(1853). - Argyrocome 

corymbiflora (Schldl.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). - Roccardia corymbiflora (Schldl.) Voss, Vilm. 

Blumengärtn. 3rd edn, 1:532(1895). Type citation: 'Dr Behr’ [South Australia] (?holo: MEL 604825). 

Note. Sonder, l.c., cited the Behr collection as coming from 'Fiedler’s section, Novemb.’ This locality 

is in the Hundred of Moorooroo, County Light, near the present town of Nuriootpa (South Australia). 

The putative type sheet in herb. MEL has on it three specimens, two of which are somewhat etiolated 

whole plants while one is a single stem off a mature plant. A note on the sheet by Sonder states 'culmi 

e seminibus plantae behrianae!’ It would appear likely that the two whole plants represent those raised 

by Sonder while the single stem is the type specimen collected by Behr since it corresponds to the 

following comment made by Schlechtendal, l.c., 'Unicum specimen vidi, ramum 5 poll. longum’. 

Rhodanthe cremea Paul G. Wilson, sp. nov. (Figure 2) 

Annua erecta, c. 25 cm alta, sparse lanosa, pilis glandulosis absentibus. Axes majores graciles, 

solitarii vel numerosi, haud ramosi, apicem versus lanosi aliter glabri. Folia caulina alterna, integra, linearia 

vel anguste obovata, acuta vel obtusa, ad 30 mm longa, apicem versus caulorum absentia. Capitula 

solitaria ad caules terminalia posita. Bracteae exteriores scariosae vel chartaceae, latissime ovatae vel 

latissime ellipticae, nitidae, ad 7 mm longae, pallido brunneae; bracteae intermediae late ellipticae, ad 15 

mm longae, ad apicem malvinae; bracteae intimae: unguis late obovatus, stereomate oblongo, vix 

incrassato, nervo singulari ad apicem extenso; lamina petaloidea, anguste elliptica, ad 20 mm longa, 

pallido cremea vel ad basim atropurpurea. Receptaculum discoideum, margine areolae pilosa aliter 

glabrum. Flosculi numerosi, bisexuales vel flosculis intimis masculinis. Corolla: tubus anguste 

cylindraceus, c. 2 mm longus; faux valde zygomorpha anguste turbinata, c. 1 mm longa; lobi 5, c. 1.5 mm 

longi, lobis tribus abaxialis recurvis, cremeis, profunde fissa, intra laevibus, lobis duobus adaxiali erectis, 

ad apicem connatis, rubiginosis, intra papillosis, nervis corollae ad apicem lobulorum extensis. Antherarum 

appendix sterilis late elliptica, obtusa, 0.2 mm longa; cellulae oblongae, parietibus tenuibus, cellulis 

parietibus incrassatis immixtis; cellulae marginales manifeste discretae. Antherarum caudae filamentosae, 

debiles. Styli apex truncatus, nervo prominenti ad apicem extenso. Achenium compresse turbinatum, 

c. 2.5 mm longum, facie abaxiali sericeum, adaxiali hirsutum; carpophorum absens; pericarpium chartaceum; 

testa membranacea ad pericarpium adnata, nervo in positione medio cingenti. Pappi setae corollam leviter 

excedentes; in parte inferiore persistentes, anguste ellipticae; in parte superiore caducae, filamentosae, 

apice versus plumosae, ad extremum penicillatae ciliis clavatis ornatis, aliter denticulatae. 

391


Typus: Western Australia, 6.5 km east of the turnoff to Useless Loop; abundant on flats, dominating a 

stony clay depression with Acacia tetragonophylla and Acacia sp., 16.viii.1986, R.C. Chinnock 6760 

(holo: AD; iso: K, MEL, PERTH). 

Erect annual to 25 cm high, branching at base; major axes slender, solitary or several, simple, woolly 

near apex otherwise glabrous, glandular hairs absent. Leaves cauline, alternate, entire, linear to narrowobovate, 

acute to obtuse, to 30 mm long, absent towards apex of stem. Capitula solitary, terminal to stems. 

Involucre hemispherical, c. 6 mm high. Bracts multiseriate, scarious or papery, glabrous; outer bracts 

scarious, very broadly ovate or broadly elliptic, to 7 mm long, pale brown; intermediate bracts broadelliptic, 

to 15 mm long, pale brown with mauve apex; inner bracts: claw broad-obovate, stereome broadoblong, 

scarcely thickened,with a single nerve extending to apex, lamina petaloid, narrow-elliptic, to 20 

mm long, pale cream, often with a dark purple band at base. Receptacle disc-shaped, c. 5 mm broad, pilose 

on margin of areolae otherwise glabrous. Florets numerous, bisexual or the inner ones male. Corolla 

almost glabrous: tube cylindrical, c. 2 mm long; throat narrow-turbinate, strongly zygomorphic, c. 1 mm 

long; lobes 5, c. 1.5 mm long, the three abaxial lobes deeply divided, recurved, cream coloured, smooth 

within, the 2 adaxial lobes fused to near apex, dark reddish brown, papillose within; vascular strands 

extending to tip of lobes. Anther appendage broad-elliptic, obtuse, 0.2 mm long; cells oblong, thickwalled 

cells interspersed among thin-walled cells; marginal cell row clearly demarcated; anther tails 

filamentous and weak. Style tip truncate, the vascular strand stout and extending to apex. Achene 

compressed turbinate, c. 2.5 mm long, silky on abaxial face and hirsute on adaxial face; carpopodium 

absent; pericarp papery; testa membranous, fused to pericarp, the vascular strand encircling seed in 

medial position. Pappus bristles slightly exceeding corolla; lower half narrow elliptic, barbellate and 

persistent; upper half filamentous and deciduous, towards apex plumose with the terminal cilia penicillate 

and clavate, towards base barbellate. 

Distribution. Western Australia, from the south end of Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay, eastwards to the North 

West Coastal Highway. 

Specimens seen. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 493 mile peg North West Highway, T.E.H. Aplin 3282 

(PERTH); 5 miles west of Hamelin Station, J.W. Green 1444 (PERTH); 22 km west of Overlander 

Roadhouse on Denham road, N.S. Lander 1322 (PERTH); 28 km NNW of Overlander Roadhouse, North 

West Coastal Highway, E.N.S. Jackson 3121 (AD pro parte); 3 km from Overlander Roadhouse, P.S. 

Short 422 (AD pro parte); 20 km north of Billabong Roadhouse, P.S. Short 2453 (PERTH). 

Habitat. Usually found in red sand over loam. 

This species appears to be related to Rhodanthe chlorocephala. It superficially very closely 

resembles R. chlorocephala subsp. splendida which grows intermixed with R. cremea near Shark Bay 

and some herbarium collections consist of material of both species. Rhodanthe chlorocephala may be 

distinguished by the spherical glandular hairs on leaves and stems, the absence of woolly hairs, the 

regular corollas, and the evenly silky achenes. 

Those variants of Cephalipterum drummondii and of R. chlorocephala subsp. splendida that have 

large white involucral bracts often resemble R. cremea in having a dark purple band at the base of these 

bracts. Since the three species grow together in the Hamelin Pool region it is likely that they attract the 

same pollen vectors. 

The epithet cremea (cream coloured) refers to the colour of the inner involucral bracts.


Figure 2. Rhodanthe cremea. A - Habit. B - Capitulum. C - Corolla opened out. D - Bisexual floret. E - Corolla. F - Male 

floret. G - Receptacle. H - Pappus bristles. I - Style branches. J - Anther. K - Leaf. L - Leaf hairs. M - Outer and inner 

involucral bracts. N - Achene. O - T.S. achene. From J.W. Green 1444. 

393


Rhodanthe diffusa (Cunn. ex DC.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum diffusum A.Cunn. ex DC., Prod. 6:216(1838). Type: Forest grounds at the base of Peels range, 

Interior of New South Wales, June 1817, A. Cunningham (holo: G-DC photo seen). 

Rhodanthe diffusa (DC.) Paul G. Wilson subsp. diffusa 

This taxon represents the yellow-rayed variant. 

Rhodanthe diffusa subsp. leucactina (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum polygalifolium var. leucactinum F. Muell., Fragm. 10:107(1877). Type citation: 'Darling’s 

River (Andrae), Warrego (Bailey), Curruwillughi (Dalton), Ballandool (Looker).’ Lectotype (here 

chosen): Warrego district, F.M. Bailey (MEL 110257). 

The taxon represents the white-rayed variant. 

Note. The only substantial difference between the two subspecies is in the colour of the radiant 

involucral bracts, however the stems of northern variant of subsp. leucactina are sometimes branched 

above and have a minutely glandular hispidulous indumentum beneath the capitula rather than cottony. 

The typical subspecies is found in south-eastern New South Wales between Hillston and Narrandera 

while the subsp. leucactina is found further north from Nyngan north to south-eastern Queensland. 

Both subspecies have been confused with other species: the yellow subspecies was synonymized by 

Bentham (1867) (and subsequently confused in some herbaria) with Helipterum polygalifolium, while 

the white has been confused with H. anthemoides. Rhodanthe polygalifolia may be readily distinguished 

by being glabrous apart from the minute globular glands on the adaxial surface of the leaves (in R. diffusa 

the leaves bear glands and multiseptate hairs on the stems and on both surfaces of the leaves), while 

R. anthemoides may be distinguished by being a perennial, by the generally thicker leaves and embedded 

globular glands, and by the reddish brown linear midrib on the claws of the involucral bracts. 

Rhodanthe fuscescens (Turcz.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum fuscescens Turcz., Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 24/2:80(1851). - Podotheca fuscescens 

(Turcz.) Benth., Fl.Austral. 3:602(1867). - Podosperma fuscescens (Turcz.) F. Muell., Fragm. 12:22(1882). 

- Argyrocome fuscescens (Turcz.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). Type: Western Australia, 

J. Drummond 5th coll. (suppl.) n.64 (holo: KW photo seen; iso: K, MEL 110215, PERTH). 

Acroclinium phyllocephalum A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:271(1852). Type citation: 

'South-west Australia, Drummond (received in 1850)’ n.v. 

This species is very similar to Rhodanthe oppositifolia from which it differs in having leaves that 

subtend the capitula and in having very short and brown involucral bracts. Rhodanthe fuscescens is 

known only from the Drummond types and from E. Pritzel 695. The Drummond sheets on which the names 

H. fuscescens and A. phyllocephalum were based are probably duplicates of the same collection (Short 

1983); both sheets lack locality data. The collection Pritzel 695, dated 1901, is almost identical to the 

Drummond; it came from near Cranbrook in south-west Western Australia which is about 400 km from 

the nearest locality for R. oppositifolia.


Rhodanthe gossypina Paul G. Wilson, sp. nov. 

Herba annua erecta gossypina. Folia caulina, alterna, linearia vel anguste oblonga, acuminata, 2-4 

cm longa. Capitula homogama in corymbis terminalibus ordinata. Involucrum turbinatum, c. 4 mm altum, 

radians; bracteae c. 3-seriata; bracteae intermediae ellipticae c. 5 mm longae, hyalinae, lanato ciliatae, ad 

apice brunneolae, stereomate anguste oblongo, viridi, in parte superiore gossypino; bracteae intimae: 

unguis late obovatus c. 4 mm longus, hyalinis, gossypino ciliatus, stereomate anguste oblongo, 

gossypino, in parte superiore pilis resinosis rubiginosis ornatum; lamina patula, ovata, c. 4 mm longa, 

alba. Receptaculum conicum, c. 0.7 mm diam. Flosculi c. 15, bisexuales. Corolla c. 3 mm longa, 5-lobata; 

lobi inequales, oblongo-triangulares, intra laeves, lobo abaxiali c. 1.5 mm longo, ceteris c. 1 mm longis; 

nervi corollae in tubo terminantes. Antherae: appendix sterilis elliptica c. 0.4 mm longa, parietibus 

cellularum nec incrassatis; caudis filamentis, debiles. Styli apex ± truncatus. Achenium ellipsoideum, 

1.5-3 mm longum, subtiliter pilosum; carpophorum annulare; pericarpium chartaceum, translucens; testa 

aliquantum coriacea, brunnea, ad pericarpium adnata, nervo c. 2/3 cingenti. Pappus persistens; setae 

lineari-acuminatae corollam aequantes, omnino pilosae. 

Typus: Queensland: Mitchell district, 36.9 km SE of Winton on Longreach road, 19 Sept. 1984, 

R.J. Chinnock 6106 (holo: AD; iso: PERTH). 

Annual erect cottony herb; stems slender, single or branching at base, to 20 cm high. Leaves cauline, 

alternate, linear to narrow-oblong, acuminate, 2-4 cm long, 1-5 mm wide. Capitula homogamous, in 

terminal corymbs. Involucre turbinate, c. 4 m high, radiant; bracts c. 3-seriate; intermediate bracts elliptic, 

c. 5 mm long, hyaline, woolly ciliate, brown-tinged towards apex, with narrow-oblong green stereome 

cottony in upper half, c. 2 mm long; innermost bracts: claw broad-obovate, c. 3.7 mm long, 2 mm wide, 

hyaline, cottony ciliate, stereome narrow-oblong extending to near apex, cottony and with dark reddish 

brown resinous hairs in upper half; lamina spreading, ovate, c. 4 mm long, 2 mm wide, white. Receptacle 

conical, c. 0.7 mm diameter Florets c. 15, all bisexual. Corolla c. 3 mm long, narrow-cylindrical below, 

somewhat broader above, sparsely puberulous in lower half, yellow, vascular strands terminating well 

below lobes; lobes oblong-triangular, 0.5-1 mm long, not papillose within, glabrous outside, the abaxial 

lobe more deeply divided (up to 1.5 mm long). Anthers: appendage elliptic, c. 0.4 mm long, smooth, cells 

not thickened, very pale brown or the marginal ones clear; tails filamentous, weak. Style apex ± truncate 

to slightly rounded, shortly papillose. Achene ellipsoidal, 1.5-3 mm long, pilose with fine very pale brown 

hairs; carpopodium a short glabrous ring; pericarp translucent, papery, very pale brown; testa somewhat 

leathery, brown, fused to pericarp when mature; vascular strand of testa extending c. 2/3 around seed 

in medial position. Pappus bristles linear-acuminate, ± equal to corolla, united in a ring at base, persistent, 

pilose throughout, the terminal cilia somewhat thicker and rounded at apex. 

Distribution. Southeastern Northern Territory, southwestern Queensland, extreme northeastern South 

Australia and northwestern New South Wales. 

Specimens examined (selection only). QUEENSLAND: 100 km WNW of Charleville, C. Sandercoe 369 

(BRI); Near Windorah, S.T. Blake 12079 (BRI). 

NEW SOUTH WALES: 17.5 km from Louth on Telpa road, C.W.E. Moore 7794 (CANB). 

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Kudriemitchie Waterhole, L.D.Williams 8156 (AD). 

NORTHERN TERRITORY: 7.5 mi N of Tobermorey homestead, G. Chippendale (NT 2961). 

Habitat. In open situations on heavy soil that is frequently subject to flooding. 

395


Flowering time. June to September. 

This species is similar to Rhodanthe corymbiflora and R. microglossa with which two species it has 

been confused in herbaria. It differs from the former in having a smaller involucre with the bract-lamina 

about half as long, and in the possession of dark resinous hairs on the stereome of the inner bracts. From 

the latter it differs in having a more open inflorescence, dark resinous hairs on the inner bracts, much 

longer radiating laminae, and in having a smooth throat to the corolla. 

Rhodanthe gossypina was recognised as a distinct taxon by C.T. White (herb. BRI) who evidently 

intended to describe it as a variety of Helipterum corymbiflorum but never did so (R.W. Johnson, 

pers.comm.). 

The solitary collection from New South Wales, cited above, comes from a site geographically isolated 

from the other locations. It is morphologically distinct for the stereomes of the inner involucral bracts 

do not have glandular hairs and the lobes of the corolla are equal in length. For these reasons it may 

be found to represent a distinct species. 

The specific epithet refers to the cottony indumentum that covers the plant. 

Rhodanthe humboldtiana (Gaudich.) Paul G. Wilson comb. nov. 

Helichrysum humboldtianum Gaudich. in Freyc., Voy. Uranie 465(1830) t.88(1829). - Helipterum 

humboldtianum (Gaudich.) DC., Prod. 6:216(1838). - Schoenia humboldtiana (Gaudich.) Walpers, 

Repert. Bot. Syst. 6:244(1846). - Pteropogon humboldtianus (Gaudich.) F. Muell., Linnaea 25:415(1853). 

- Argyrocome humboldtiana (Gaudich.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). - Roccardia humboldtiana 

(Gaudich.) Voss, Vilm. Blumengärtn. 3rd edn, 1:532(1896). Type citation: 'In Novae-Hollandiae ora 

occidentale (baie des Chiens-Marins)’, 1830, Gaudichaud. Lectotype (here chosen): P photo seen; 

isolecto: G-DC photo seen. 

Helipterum sandfordii Hook., Bot. Mag. t.5350(1862). Type: J. Drummond 160, between Moore and 

Murchison rivers; 1860, Burgess; cult. Thompson from seeds from Major Sandford, W.A. Isosyntypes: 

J. Drummond 160 (MEL 109493, NSW). 

Helipterum largiflorens F. Muell., Fragm. 3:135(1863). Type citation: 'Ad sinum Champion bay et flumen 

Murchison. Walcott et Oldfield.’ Lectotype (here chosen): Champion Bay, A. Oldfield (MEL 109501). 

Helipterum clementii Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 89:667(1929). Type citation: 'Nordwest-Australien: zwischen 

Ashburton- und De Gray River, E. Clement’. Type n.v. 

Rhodanthe microglossa (Maiden & E. Betche) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum microglossum Maiden & E. Betche, Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales 22:151(1897). Type: 

Tarella, New South Wales, Aug. 1887, W. Bäuerlen 131 (holo: NSW 181467). 

Helipterum corymbiflorum var. microglossa F. Muell. ex Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:647(1867). - 

H. microglossa (Benth.) Tate, Trans & Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 22:121(1898). Lectotype 

(here chosen): Goyinga mountains, 6 & 7 Nov. 1860, Victorian Expedition (MEL 110255).


Note. It was unclear from the paper by Maiden and Betche whether they intended to describe a new 

species based on the Bäuerlen collection or whether they intended to make a new combination based 

on Helipterum corymbiflorum var. microglossa; I have assumed the former intention, partly because 

the epithet was changed from a substantive to an adjective and partly because the format used was the 

same as that for other new species described in the paper. Ralph Tate (1898 loc.cit.) claimed to have 

published the species combination in the Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 6:104(1883), however, 

in that paper the name Helipterum microglossa was not validly published since it appeared without 

citation of either author or basionym, and without a description. 

Rhodanthe oppositifolia (S. Moore) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum oppositifolium S. Moore, J. Bot. 35165(1897). Type: Near Coolgardie, Sept.1895, S.Moore 

(holo: BM; iso: MEL 110309). 

Griffithia helipteroides J. Black, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 37:122(1913). Type citation: 

'Gawler Ranges, Eyre Peninsula (S.A.White, September, 1912)’ (holo: AD; iso: K). 

subsp. oppositifolia 

subsp. ornata Paul G. Wilson, subsp. nov. 

Folia lineari-acuminata, c. 30 x 2 mm. Involucrum hemisphericum, c. 6 mm altum; lamina bracteae 

interiorum elliptica, 10 mm longa, flava. 

Typus: Western Australia: 3 km NW of Tamala Homestead, 26° 40' S, 113° 42' E, at foot of calcrete ridge 

on edge of samphire flat, powdery white clay loam on sheet calcrete, 25 August 1991, S.D. Hopper 8112 

(holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, K, MEL, S). 

Leaves linear-acuminate, c. 30 x 2 mm. Involucre hemispherical, c. 6 mm high; inner bracts with a 

prominent elliptic yellow lamina c. 10 mm long. 

Distribution. Only known from the southern margin of Freycinet Estuary in Tamala station, Western 

Australia. Found growing on calcrete rises on edge of saline flats. 

Additional specimens seen. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 13.5 km W of Tamala homestead road on Useless 

Loop road, S.D. Hopper 8113 (PERTH); Tamala Station, 20 July 1988, Ph. Morat 8212 (P). 

This subspecies differs from the typical in having larger capitula and much larger lamina to the inner 

involucral bracts which in the typical subspecies are only 2-3 mm long. Subsp. oppositifolia is also found 

in the Shark Bay region but evidently not in association with subsp. ornata. 

Rhodanthe polygalifolia (A.Cunn. ex DC.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum polygalifolium A.Cunn. ex DC., Prod. 6:216(1838). - Argyrocome polygalifolia (DC.) Kuntze, 

Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). Type: Molle’s Plains, Lachlan river, New South Wales, 1817, A. Cunningham 

(holo: G-DC photo seen). 

397


Rhodanthe propinqua (W. Fitzg.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum propinquum W. Fitzg., J. W. Austral. Nat. Hist. Soc. No.1:24(May 1904). Lectotype (here 

chosen): Nannine, Western Australia, Sept. 1903, W.V. Fitzgerald (NSW 181422; isolecto: NSW 181423, 

PERTH). 

Rhodanthe pygmaea (DC.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Pteropogon pygmaeus DC., Prod. 6:245(1838). - Pteropogon australis Nees, Linnaea 16:223(1842) nom. 

illeg., based on above. - Helipterum pygmaeum (DC.) F. Muell., Rep. Babbage’s Exped. 14(1859); Benth., 

Fl. Austral. 3:647(1867). Type: Molle’s plains, Lachlan river, Interior west from Port Jackson, Long. 145°E, 

'a remarkable pigmy plant’, July 1817, A. Cunningham 101 (holo: G-DC photo seen). 

Pteropogon drummondii A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:267(1852). - Helipterum pygmaeum 

var. occidentale Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:647(1867). - Helipterum pygmaeum var. drummondii (A. Gray) 

Ostenfeld, Dansk Bot. Ark. 3:142(1921) nom. illeg. - Helipterum drummondii (A. Gray) Ostenfeld, l.c. 

Type: Western Australia, 1849, J. Drummond (holo: K). 

Pteropogon intermedius F.Muell., Linnaea 25:411(1853). Type citation: 'In collibus graminosis montem 

Rufus versus, ante Torrens tenus, ubertim rarus.’ Lectotype (here chosen): Ad rivum Broughton, Oct. 

1851, F. Mueller (MEL 604821). 

Rhodanthe rubella (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Acroclinium rubellum A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:271(1852). - Helipterum rubellum 

(A. Gray) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:641(1867). - Argyrocome rubella (A. Gray) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 

1:309(1891). - Roccardia rubella (A. Gray) Voss, Vilm. Blumengärtn. 3rd edn, 1:530(1896). Type citation: 

'Between Swan River and King George Sound, Drummond.’ Lectotype (here chosen): J.Drummond 347 

(K, photo seen). 

Rhodanthe rufescens Paul G. Wilson, sp. nov. 

Herba annua decumbens, sparse et minute glanduloso-puberula; axes majores numerosi ad 10 cm 

longi. Folia caulina alterna sessilia, anguste oblonga, ad 10 mm longa, integra, obtusa. Capitula 

homogama, ad ramulos terminalia posita, nec radiantia. Involucrum breviter cylindraceum, 4-5 mm 

altum. Bracteae c. 3-seriatae, scariosae, supra stereoma sparsissime et minute glanduloso puberulae 

aliter glabrae; bracteae exteriores ovatae, c. 2 mm longae, stramineae; bracteae interiores obovatae, 

ad 5 mm longae, ad apicem rotundatae, versus basim stramineae, versus apicem violaceae vel margine 

apicali hyalino. Receptaculum rotundatum c. 0.7 mm diam., glabrum. Flosculi c. 7, bisexuales, 

actinomorphi. Corolla c. 3.5 mm longa, infra medium cylindracea, supra medium anguste cupulata; 

lobi 5, triangulares, c. 1 mm longi, intra ad basim papillosi; nervi ad basim loborum extensi. Antherae 

loculis c. 1 mm longis; appendix c. 0.3 mm longus ad apicem rotundatus, cellulis oblongis nec 

incrassatis; caudae filamentae, debiles. Styli apex truncatus, nervo ad basim apicis extenso. 

Achenium (in statu immaturo) sericeum, carpophoro absenti, pericarpio tenui, translucenti, testa 

tenuiter coriacea. Pappi setae lineares acuminatae, c. 2 mm longae, omnino plumosae, ciliis omnino 

acuminatis.


Typus: Queensland, Gregory South District, Noccundra, about 130 km west-north-west of Thargomindah, 

'herbage’, 11 Aug. 1987, P.Warhurst s.n. (holo: BRI 410267). 

Annual (? decumbent) herb with many somewhat wiry stems to 10 cm long arising from base. 

Branches and leaves sparsely covered with minute sessile or shortly stipitate globular glands, otherwise 

glabrous. Leaves cauline, alternate, sessile, narrow-oblong, to 10 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, entire, obtuse. 

Capitula homogamous, terminal to slender lateral and main branches, sometimes subtended by a 

foliaceous bract. Involucre shortly cylindrical, 4-5 mm high, not radiant; bracts scarious, glabrous apart 

from a few minute glandular hairs on stereome, c. 3-seriate; outer bracts ovate c. 2 mm long, strawcoloured, 

glabrous; inner bracts obovate, to 5 mm long, rounded at apex, straw-coloured towards base, 

violet brown towards apex or with the tip hyaline, stereome oblong, 2/3 length of bract, flat, pale green. 

Receptacle rounded, c. 0.7 mm diameter, glabrous. Florets c. 7, all apparently bisexual. Corolla tube c. 

3.5 mm high, cylindrical below, narrowly cup-shaped above, very sparsely puberulous, yellow; lobes 

5, ovate, triangular, c. 1 mm long, papillose within in a broad ring around base of lobes; vascular strands 

extending to base of lobes. Stamens: anther appendage c. 0.3 mm long rounded at apex, cells oblong, 

not thickened; anther tails weak and filamentous. Style tip truncate, papillose; vascular strand prominent 

and extending to base of tip. Achene (not seen mature) silky villous all over; carpopodium absent; 

pericarp thin, translucent; testa thinly coriaceous, with crystals. Pappus bristles linear-acuminate, c. 2 

mm long at anthesis, plumose to tip, terminal cilia not thickened. 

Distribution. Only known from the type locality in south-west Queensland. 

The specific epithet refers to the reddish colour of the terminal portion of the inner involucral bracts. 

Rhodanthe stricta (Lindley) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Xyridanthe stricta Lindley, Sketch Veg. Swan Riv. Col. 23(1839). - Helipterum strictum (Lindley) Benth., 

Fl. Austral. 3:646(1867), Type: Swan River, 1839, J. Drummond (holo: CGE photo seen). 

Pteropogon platyphyllus F. Muell., Linnaea 25:413(1853). Type citation: 'Ad margines rupestres 

rivulorum ad Cudnaka rariusve ibidem in planitiebus sterilibus.’ Lectotype (here chosen): 'Ad marginis 

rupestris rivi Cudnaka’, Oct.1851, F. Mueller (lecto: MEL 110685; isolecto: MEL 604829). 

Helipterum strictum var. stenocephala S. Moore, J. Linn. Soc. 34:200(1899). Type: Near Coolgardie, 

August 1895, S. Moore (holo: BM photo seen). 

4. Rhodanthe sect. Achyroclinoides (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Pteropogon sect. Achyroclinoides A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:268(1852). Lectotype 

(here designated): Pteropogon corymbosus A. Gray. 

[Cassinia sect. Cassiniola F. Muell., Fragm. 3:139(1863) nomen sub Cassinia cuprea F. Muell. 

(= Pteropogon polycephalus A. Gray)]. 

Plant variously pubescent to sub-glabrous, without sessile glands on leaves. Style apex truncate. 

Achene small, 1-1.5 mm long, moderately to sparsely short hirsute; carpopodium annular, glabrous; 

399


pericarp crustaceous, thin, brown, the radial cell walls thickened; testa membranous, free or fused to 

pericarp. Pappus caducous. 

Note. Asa Gray (1852) included Pteropogon polycephalus A. Gray, P. corymbosus A. Gray and P. laevis 

A. Gray in his section Achyroclinoides. These three species are all recognised here as being members 

of this section. 

Rhodanthe ascendens Paul G. Wilson, sp. nov. 

Herba annua ascendens ad 10 cm alta, modice lanosa. Folia caulina, alterna, anguste obovata, plana, 

10-15 mm longa, c. 2 mm lata, sessilia. Inflorescentia corymbiformia, compacta. Capitula homogama, 

breviter pedunculata. Involucrum cupulatum c. 5 mm altum, 2.5 mm latum, nec radians; bracteae 

glumaceae, 3-4-seriatae, nitidae, bracteis intermediis interioribusque ellipticis, 4-5 mm longis, ad apicem 

rotundatis, ad basim sparse ciliatis aliter glabris. Receptaculum convexum, glabrum, c. 1 mm latum, 

bracteis receptaculi absentibus. Flosculi c. 20, bisexuales, actinomorphi. Corolla c. 3 mm longa, glabra, 

nervis ad apicem tubi extensis; lobi deltoidei, c. 0.5 mm longi, lobis tribus parte interiore ad basim 

papillosis, ceteris glabris. Antherae c. 1 mm longae; apex anguste ovatus obtusus, c. 0.3 mm longus, 

cellulis anguste oblongis; caudae filamentae, debiles. Styli apex truncatus, nervo prominenti ad apicem 

extenso. Achenium, in statu immaturo, anguste cylindraceum, 1 mm longum, breviter hirtellum; 

carpophorum annulare, glabrum; pericarpium tenue, translucens; testa membranacea. Pappus corollam 

aequans, in statu integro caducae; setae c. 15, filiformae, ad basem breviter connatae, barbellatae. 

Typus: Western Australia, Gascoyne Junction; florets yellow; roadside verge, clay soil; 20 Aug. 1986, 

P.S. Short 2531 (holo: PERTH; iso: MEL n.v.). 

Annual ascendent herb to 10 cm high, branching at base, moderately and loosely woolly. Leaves 

sessile, alternate, cauline, narrow obovate, obtuse, flat, 10 - 15 mm long, c. 2 mm wide. Inflorescence 

corymbiform, compact. Capitula homogamous, very shortly pedunculate. Involucre cup-shaped, c. 5 

mm high, not radiant; bracts glumaceous, 3-4-seriate, glossy, intermediate and inner bracts elliptic, to 

4.5 mm long, rounded at apex, sparsely ciliate at base otherwise glabrous. Receptacle convex, glabrous, 

without receptacular bracts, c. 1 mm diameter. Florets c. 20, bisexual, actinomorphic. Corolla c. 3 mm long, 

yellow, narrow-tubular in lower half, narrow-turbinate above, glabrous, vascular strands extending to 

apex of tube; lobes broad-triangular, c. 0.5 mm long, three of the lobes papillose within at base the others 

glabrous; cells of throat strongly undulate. Stamens: anther loculi c. 1 mm long; tip oblong-ovate, obtuse, 

c. 0.3 mm long, the cells narrow-oblong; tails filamentous, weak. Style arms truncate, papillose, the 

vascular strand prominent and extending to base of tip. Achene (in immature state) narrow-cylindrical, 

1.0 mm long, shortly hirtellous with duplex hairs c. 0.1 mm long, bifid at tip, myxogenic; carpopodium a 

narrow glabrous ring; pericarp thin and translucent, weak; testa membranous, free from pericarp, vascular 

strand extending to apex of seed; endosperm persistent and forming a sheath around the embryo. Pappus 

bristles c. 15, ± equal to corolla, very shortly united in a ring at base, barbellate throughout, the terminal 

teeth rounded, caducous as a whole. 

Distribution. Found only in the Carnarvon Botanical District (Beard 1980) near Gascoyne Junction, 

Western Australia. 

Additional specimen examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Middalya Station, 1989, D.C. Norbury 1 

(PERTH).


Habitat. The type was found in clay soil on a roadside verge. 

Rhodanthe ascendens is very similar to R. nullarborensis from which it differs most obviously in 

having broader leaves and larger capitula. In the details of the florets it differs in having barbellate (not 

shortly plumose) pappus bristles and in having three (not two) of the corolla lobes papillose at their base, 

but this latter character may be a variable one. The achene of R. nullarborensis has a thin crustaceous 

pericarp with lignified radial walls while in its immature state the pericarp of R. ascendens shows no sign 

of such thickening but this may develop later. 

Rhodanthe condensata (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum condensatum F. Muell., Fragm. 3:136(1863). - Argyrocome condensata (F. Muell.) Kuntze, 

Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). Type: Murchison River, Western Australia, A. Oldfield (holo: MEL 110770). 

Rhodanthe corymbosa (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Pteropogon corymbosus A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:268(1852). - Helipterum corymbosum 

(A. Gray) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:649(1867). - Argyrocome corymbosa (A. Gray) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 

1:309(1891). Type citation: 'Swan river, Drummond. - Darling Range, South-west Australia, Collie.’ 

Isosyntype: J. Drummond 364 (MEL 109605). 

Helipterum album Ewart, J. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New South Wales 42:189(1909). Type: Wooroloo, Western 

Australia, 1906, M.Koch 1553 (?holo: NSW 181466; iso: PERTH). 

Rhodanthe forrestii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum forrestii F. Muell., S. Sci. Rec. 2:273(1882). - Argyrocome forrestii (F. Muell.) Kuntze, Revis. 

Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). Type citation: 'In the neighbourhood of the Gascoyne-River; J. Forrest.’ Lectotype 

(here chosen): Gascoyne river, 1882, J.Forrest (lecto: MEL 50292; isolecto: K, MEL 50290, 50291, PERTH). 

This species differs from R. polycephala in having the leaves narrowed at the base and not decurrent 

and in having the capitula turbinate and not narrow-cylindrical. Further collecting may show that 

R. polycephala is only a northern variant of R. forrestii. 

Rhodanthe haigii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum haigii F. Muell., Fragm. 10:107(1877). - Argyrocome haigii (F. Muell.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. 

Pl. 1:309(1891). Type: Eucla, Richards (holo: MEL 110217; iso: PERTH). 

Helipterum mullinense S. Moore, J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 45:181(1920). Type: Mulline, J.E.C. Maryon (?iso: 

MEL 110310). 

Note. This species is similar to R. humboldtiana with which it was confused by Black (1957) and Haegi 

(1986). Apart from the presence of larger rays to the involucral bracts, R. humboldtiana may be readily 

distinguished by its silky pilose achenes for in R. haigii the achenes are shortly hirsute. Only R. haigii 

occurs in South Australia while both species are found in Western Australia. 

401


Rhodanthe laevis (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Pteropogon laevis A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:269(1852). - Helipterum laeve 

(A. Gray) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:649(1867). - Argyrocome laevis (A. Gray) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 

1:309(1891). Type: Swan River, 1843, J. Drummond 366 (or 356) (holo:K). 

Rhodanthe nullarborensis Paul G. Wilson, sp. nov. (Figure 3) 

Herba annua ad 30 cm alta, modice lanosa, aromatica. Folia caulina, alterna, linearia, plana, 10-15 mm 

longa, 1-1.5 mm lata, sessilia. Inflorescentia corymbiformia, compacta. Capitula homogama, breviter 

pedunculata. Involucrum cylindraceum vel anguste turbinatum, 3-4 mm altum, nec radians; bracteae 

glumaceae, 3-4-seriatae, nitidae, bracteis intermediis interioribusque oblongis, 3-4 mm longis, ad apicem 

rotundatis, sparse ciliatis aliter glabris. Receptaculum convexum, glabrum, c. 0.4 mm latum, bracteis 

receptaculi absentibus. Flosculi c. 12, bisexuales, actinomorphi. Corolla c. 3 mm longa, fere glabra, nervis 

ad apicem tubi extensis; lobi deltoidei, c. 1 mm longi, lobis duobus parte interiore ad basim papillosis, 

ceteris glabris. Antherae c. 1 mm longae; apex anguste ovatus obtusus, c. 0.3 mm longus, cellulis anguste 

oblongis; caudae filamentae, debiles. Styli apex truncatus, nervo prominenti ad apicem extenso. 

Achenium anguste obovoideum, 1 mm longum, breviter hirtellum; carpophorum annulare, glabrum; 

pericarpium tenuiter crustaceum, atro rubiginosum, parietibus radialibus cellularum incrassatis; testa 

diaphana, ad pericarpum adnata. Pappus corollam aequans, in statu integro caducae; setae c. 12, 

filiformae, ad basem breviter connatae, breviter plumosae. 

Typus: Forrest, Western Australia, 'heavily scented, flower heads yellow’, 30 Aug. 1930, E.R.L. Johnson 

75 (holo: PERTH; iso: AD, K, MEL). 

Annual erect herb to 30 cm high, branching at base, moderately and loosely woolly, strongly scented. 

Leaves numerous, alternate, cauline, linear, flat, 10 - 15 mm long, 1 - 1.5 mm wide, sessile. Inflorescence 

corymbiform, compact. Capitula homogamous, very shortly pedunculate. Involucre cylindrical to 

narrow-turbinate, 3-4 mm high, not radiant; bracts glumaceous, 3-4-seriate, glossy, intermediate and 

inner bracts oblong, 3-4 mm long, rounded at apex, sparsely ciliate, otherwise glabrous. Receptacle 

convex, glabrous, without receptacular bracts, c. 0.4 mm diameter. Florets c. 12, bisexual, actinomorphic. 

Corolla c. 3 mm long, yellow, narrow-tubular in lower half, narrow-turbinate above, glabrous or rarely very 

sparsely glandular puberulous, vascular strands extending to apex of tube; lobes broad-triangular, c. 

1 mm long, two of the lobes papillose within at base, the others glabrous. Stamens: anther loculi c. 1 mm 

long; tip narrow-ovate, obtuse, c. 0.3 mm long, the cells narrow-oblong; tails filamentous, weak. Style 

arms truncate, papillose, the vascular strand prominent and extending to base of tip. Achene narrowobovoid, 

1.0 mm long, shortly hirtellous with duplex hairs c. 0.07 mm long, minutely bifid at tip, myxogenic; 

carpopodium a narrow glabrous ring; pericarp thinly crustaceous, dark reddish brown, radial cell walls 

thickened; testa extremely thin and fused to pericarp, the vascular strand extending to apex of seed; 

endosperm persistent and forming a sheath around the embryo. Pappus bristles c. 12, ± equal to 

corolla,very shortly united in a ring at base, shortly plumose throughout, caducous as a whole. 

Distribution. Found only in the Nullarbor Region of Western Australia. 

Specimens examined (selection only). WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Kanowna, T.E.H. Aplin 5745 

(PERTH); 30 km S of Rawlinna, R.J. Chinnock 11262 (AD); 70 mi NNW of Reid, A.S. George 8491


Figure 3. Rhodanthe nullarborensis. A - Habit. B - Terminal cluster of capitula. C - Leafy bract. D - Leaf. E - Outer, 

intermediate, and inner involucral bracts showing enlargement of glandular hair. F - Floret. G - Inner surface of apex of 

corolla indicating that only two lobes are papillose. H - Anther. I - Style apex. J - Pappus bristle. K - Achene. L - Duplex 

hair from achene. M - Surface of pericarp. From G.J. Keighery 7623. 

403


(PERTH); 17 km NW of Koonjarra, D.W. Goodall 2511 (PERTH); 49 km NNE of Balladonia, G.J. Keighery 

7623 (PERTH). 

Habitat. In shallow open depressions (dongas) that have a layer of heavy soil over limestone. 

Flowering time. July to October. 

Rhodanthe nullarborensis resembles H. tietkensii with which it has been confused in herbaria. The 

latter species may be recognised by its larger leaves, its larger and more hairy capitula, and by the 

presence of receptacular bracts. 

Johnson & Baird (1970) in referring to this species as Helipterum tietkensii state that it is heavily 

scented and that it forms dense colonies in the dongas. 

Rhodanthe polycephala (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Pteropogon polycephalus A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:268(1852). - Helipterum 

polycephalum (A. Gray) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:649(1867). - Argyrocome polycephala (A.Gray) Kuntze, 

Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). Type citation:'Swan river, Drummond’, n.v. 

Cassinia cuprea F. Muell., Fragm. 3:139(1863). Lectotype (here chosen): Near the Murchison, A. Oldfield 

(MEL 110308). 

Rhodanthe psammophila Paul G. Wilson, sp. nov. (Figure 4) 

Herba erecta ad 40 cm alta. Folia caulina alternata, anguste oblonga vel linearia, ad 6 cm longa, sessilia, 

parce decurrentia, lanata et minute stipitato-glandulosa. Capitula heterogama, sessilia, glomerata. 

Involucrum anguste turbinatum, c. 4 mm altum; bracteae 4-6-seriatae, obovatae, 3-4 mm longae, apice 

albo, rotundato, margine eroso; unguis bractearum interiorum dense lanato- ciliatus. Flosculi semper 

quinque, uno fertili, quatuor masculinis. Corolla actinomorpha, sparse puberula; lobi intra papillosi. 

Achenium compresso-obovoideum, c. 2.5 mm longum, sparse et minute puberulum; carpophorum 

annulare; pericarpium tenuiter crustaceum; testa membranacea pericarpium adnata. Pappus achenii 

fertile tarde deciduus; setae c. 13, anguste lineares, acuminatae, c. 2.0 mm longae, sparse ciliatae pilis 

gracilibus acuminatis. Achenium bracteis interioribus consociatis deciduum. 

Typus: Western Australia, 20 km north of Carnarvon, red sand dune, 25 September 1987, Paul G. Wilson 

12604 (holo: PERTH; iso: AD, CANB, K, MEL, NSW, S). 

Erect shortly woolly annual branching at and above base, to 40 cm high. Leaves cauline, alternate, 

narrow-oblong to linear, acuminate, to 6 cm long, sessile, slightly decurrent along the margins, woolly 

all over and with minute shortly stipitate reddish brown globular glands. Capitula heterogamous, 

sessile in dense clusters, these shortly stipitate forming subglobular heads on slender peduncles 1-3 

cm long. Involucre narrow-turbinate, c. 4 mm high; bracts 6-seriate, obovate, 3-4 mm long, rounded 

at apex, hyaline in lower 2/3, white petaloid (with flat cells) and wrinkled above with erose margin; 

claw of inner bracts densely long woolly ciliate on margin, the wool enveloping the ovaries; stereome 

linear, hard, green, slightly shorter than claw, passing downwards into a very short hard stipe. 

Receptacle hemispherical, c. 3 mm high and wide, glabrous, smooth. Florets consistently 5 only one


Figure 4. Rhodanthe psammophila. A - Habit. B - Cluster of capitula. C - Capitulum. D - Florets with and without corolla. 

E - Carpopodium. F - Pappus bristle. G - Corolla. H - Style apex. I - Achene with pappus. J - Pericarp. K - Duplex 

myxogenic achenial hairs. From Paul G. Wilson 12604. 

405


of which is bisexual, the others male. Corolla actinomorphic, yellow, tube c. 2.5 mm long, sparsely 

puberulous, narrow-tubular below, narrow-turbinate above; lobes oblong, obtuse, c. 0.5 mm long, the 

vascular strands extending to tips, all papillose within along entire length. Stamens: anther loculi c. 1 

mm long; appendage ovate with narrow-oblong cells, the marginal ones smaller and equilateral; tails 

weak, slightly exceeding collar. Style apex truncate, penicillate, the vascular strand extending to apex. 

Achene compressed obovoid, c. 2.5 mm long, sparsely and minutely puberulous with blunt duplex hairs 

c. 0.06 mm long; carpopodium a very short glabrous ring; pericarp thinly crustaceous, pale reddish brown, 

the cells of epidermis amoeboid, thickened on radial walls; testa membranous, vascular strand beneath 

a pericarpial strand and passing over apex of seed; endosperm persistent around embryo. Pappus (of 

fertile achene) tardily deciduous; bristles c. 13, narrow-linear, acuminate, c. 2.0 mm long, sparsely ciliate 

with slender acuminate hairs. Achene deciduous along with inner involucral bracts. 

Distribution. Western Australia, near the coast between Carnarvon and Onslow, and inland to the 

Kennedy Range. 

Specimens seen (selection only). WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Kennedy Range, R.J. Cranfield 1913 

(PERTH); 10 mi S of Onslow, A.S. George 1150 (PERTH); southern margins of Lake McLeod, P.S. Short 

2491(MEL); 12 mi NW of Mt Sandiman, B.L. Turner 5401 (PERTH); Brown Range, B.L. Turner 5411 

(PERTH). 

Habitat. Grows only on sand dunes, both inland and coastal. 

Chromosome number: n = 5 fide B.L. Turner (1970) as Helipterum condensatum. 

Rhodanthe psammophila is superficially similar to R. condensata with which it has been confused 

in herbaria. The latter species may be distinguished by the absence of glandular hairs on the leaves, 

by the presence of 10-13 florets to a capitulum, and by the persistent pappus. The cells of the white lamina 

of the involucral bracts of R. condensata are raised at their tips giving it a slightly rough surface whereas 

in R. psammophila the lamina is smooth. Rhodanthe condensata is found from Shark Bay south to the 

Murchison River which is south of the distribution of R. psammophila. 

The relationships of this species are unclear. In some ways, such as in the structure of the floret, 

it is similar to Rhodanthe maryonii, but it differs from that species in having a caducous achene and a 

1-celled thick crustaceous pericarp (characters that, in this context, may be of little phyllogenetic 

significance). 

Rhodanthe tietkensii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum tietkensii F. Muell., Fragm., 8:227(1874). - Argyrocome tietkensii (F. Muell.) Kuntze, Revis. 

Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). Type: Between the Alberga and Mt Olga, 1873/4, E. Giles (holo: MEL 110506). 

5. Rhodanthe sect. Citrinae Paul G. Wilson, sect. nov. 

Herba annua erecta sparse lanosa, non glandulosa. Folia caulina alterna linearia vel anguste 

oblonga. Capitula homogama vel heterogama, terminalia. Involucrum radians; bracteae multiseriatae, 

omnes chartaceae et petaloideae, exteriores sessiles, interiores unguiculatae; unguis oblongus vel


ellipticus, hyalinus, lanato-ciliatus, stereomate lineari applanato. Receptaculum glabrum, planum. 

Flosculi numerosi, homomorphi, actinomorphi, extra feminei vel bisexuales, intra bisexuales. Corolla infra 

tubulosa supra anguste turbinata, 4-5-loba, sparse pilosa; lobi glabri, intra laeves. Antherae: appendix 

anguste ovatus, tenuis, cellulis oblongis parietibus tenuibus; caudae filamentosae. Styli apex truncatus. 

Achenium anguste ellipsoideum, c. 1 mm longum, plerumque in rostrum glabrum attenuatum, breviter 

pilosum, pilis myxogeneis; pericarpium debile, cellulis epidermidis ± cubicis, parietibus tenuibus; testa 

chartacea, pallido brunea ad pericarpio affixa, crystallis applanatis munitis. Pappi setae imo basi 

connatae, breviter plumosae vel denticulatae, caducae. 

Holotypus: Rhodanthe citrina (Benth.) Paul G. Wilson 

Annual erect herbs, sparsely woolly, not gland dotted. Leaves cauline, alternate, linear or 

narrow-oblong. Capitula homogamous or heterogamous, terminal. Involucre radiant; bracts multiseriate, 

all glumaceous and petaloid, outer sessile, the inner with an oblong or elliptic hyaline woolly ciliate claw. 

Receptacle glabrous, flat. Florets numerous, homomorphous, regular, the outer female or bisexual, the 

inner bisexual. Corolla tubular below, narrow-turbinate above, 4-5-lobed, sparsely pilose; lobes 

glabrous, smooth within. Anther appendix narrow-ovate, c. 0.2 mm long, thin, cells oblong with thin walls; 

tails filamentose. Style apex truncate. Achene narrow-ellipsoid, c. 1 mm long, frequently narrowed at 

apex into a beak; shortly pilose with duplex myxogenic hairs; pericarp with epidermis of thin-walled 

cubical cells, other tissue flattened and inconspicuous, vascular strands lateral (slightly oblique); testa 

papery, pale brown, adnate to pericarp, sparsely furnished with broad, flat crystals or these absent when 

mature, vascular strand ascending to apex and adjacent to a pericarpial strand. Pappus caducous; setae 

connate into a ring at base, shortly plumose or barbellate. 

Rhodanthe citrina (Benth.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Leptorhynchos citrinus Benth. in Endl. et al., Enum. Pl. Hueg. 64(1837). Waitzia citrina (Benth.) Steetz 

in Lehm., Pl. Preiss. 1:454(1845). Type citation: 'Swan-River. (Hügel.).’n.v. 

Waitzia brevirostris Steetz in Lehm., op.cit. 1:451(1845). Type: In arenosis sylvae supra urbiculam 

"Perth", 7 Oct.1839, L. Preiss 15. Lectotype (here chosen): MEL 1585201; isolecto: LD, MEL 1585197. 

Waitzia sulphurea Steetz in Lehm., op.cit. 1:4553(1845). Lectotype (here chosen): In arenosis inter 

frutices prope urbiculam "Guildford", 14 Oct.1839, L. Preiss 7 (lecto: MEL 1585196; isolecto: LD). 

Waitzia steetziana Lehm., op.cit. 1:454(1845). - Waitzia tenella Hook., Bot. Mag. t.5342(1862) nom.illeg. 

Type: In solo limoso sylvae prope praedium rusticum "Maddington", 31 Oct.1839, L. Preiss 6 (syntypes 

and isosyntypes: LD, MEL 1585194, 1585195, 1585198). 

Waitzia dasycarpa Turcz., Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 24/2:77(1851). Type: Swan River Colony, 

J. Drummond 5th coll. no. 65 (holo: KW photo seen; iso: PERTH). 

Helichrysum oldfieldii F.Muell., Fragm. 3:134-135(1863). Lectotype (here chosen): Murchison 

River, A. Oldfield (MEL 108299). 

407


Distribution. Western Australia south of 22° lat., southern Northern Territory, northern South Australia, 

north western New South Wales. 

Note: The genus Waitzia, as previously circumscribed, was an unnatural assemblage of species in the 

Helipterum complex that had in common a beak-like apex to the achene. In the strict sense (see Wilson 

1992b) Waitzia contains species with the following characters: stipe-like claws to the involucral bracts, 

tooth-like papillae (that consist of 2 overtopping cells) on the achenes, and ellipsoid apices to the styles. 

In Rhodanthe citrina the inner involucral bracts have flattened scarious claws, the achenes have normal 

slender duplex hairs, and the style apices are truncate; it is thus distinct from Waitzia but similar to some 

species of Rhodanthe sect. Achyroclinoides. The section Citrinae differs from sect. Achyroclinoides 

principally in the nature of the involucral bracts which are all scarious and petaloid, the outer sessile and 

the inner stipitate on a broad hyaline ciliate claw; none of them is radiant. The appearance of the capitula 

is similar to that found in some species of Chrysocephalum (Helichrysum sect. Chrysocephalum), such 

as Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Labill.) Steetz, and the two species are sometimes confused. 

In Rhodanthe citrina the rostrum to the achene is variable in length and in some specimens is 

completely absent; that organ, in any event, does not seem to be necessarily of generic significance since 

it merely represents an upwards extension of the pericarp. 

It has been shown by Warcup (1990) that Waitzia citrina forms ectomycorrhizal associations 

whereas other Rhodanthe species that have been tested do not. It is possible that the seed with which 

Warcup worked was either Hyalosperma cotula (Benth.) Paul G. Wilson or Chrysocephalum apiculatum, 

both of these form ectomycorrhiza and both resemble W. citrina. No voucher material can be traced. 

Two other species previously placed in Waitzia, i.e. W. paniculata (Steetz) Benth. and W. conica 

B.Turner, are also anomalous in that genus and are here transferred to Pterochaeta and Haptotrichion 

respectively. 

6. Rhodanthe sect. Synachyrum (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum sect. Synachyrum A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:231(1852). Type: Helipterum 

floribundum DC. 

[Helipterum sect. Sericophorum DC., Prod. 6:216(1838) p.p. min. excluding lectotype.] 

Plants cottony. Intermediate involucral bracts with thick narrow-oblong stereome not extending into 

lamina; cottony. Corolla with vascular strands not extending to tips of lobes. Style apex truncate. Achene 

densely silky; carpopodium absent; pericarp thinly coriaceous or papery; testa weak, free from pericarp, 

containing oblong imbricate crystals that form a complete cover to seed (see Figure 5). Pappus bristles 

narrow-oblong and sometimes partially united into a tube at base, caducous. 

Rhodanthe floribunda (DC.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. (Figure 5) 

Helipterum floribundum DC., Prod. 6:217(1838). Type: Barren forests at the foot of Peel’s Range, 

Interior of N.S.Wales, June 1817, A.Cunningham 107 (holo: G-DC photo seen).


Figure 5. Rhodanthe floribunda. A - Pappus. B - Achene. C - Testa with imbricate scale-like crystals. 

Helipterum chionolepis F. Muell., Linnaea 25:416(1853). Type citation: 'Juxta montes Flinders-range et 

Cudnaka locis sterilibus.’ Lectotype (here chosen): MEL 110120 with labels 'Cudnaka’ and 'Prope montis 

Flinders range, Oct.51’ leg. F.Mueller; syntype: Cudnaka, F.Mueller (MEL 604828). 

Helipterum cirratum Morrison, J.Bot. 50:168(1912). Type: Between Globe Hill and Uaroo, Ashburton 

River, 1 Oct. 1905, A.Morrison (? iso: PERTH). 

Helipterum floribundum var. tubulipappum J. Black, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 36:23 

t.2(1912). Type: Oodnadatta, Sept.1911, F.C. Staer per Mrs Mellor (holo: AD 98625088 p.p.). 

Rhodanthe sphaerocephala Paul G. Wilson, sp. nov. 

Annua erecta ad 25 cm alta. Rami lanosi, omnino foliacei. Folia alterna sessilia, angustissimo 

oblonga, c. 10 mm longa, sparse lanosa. Capitula homogama, solitaria, terminalia, sphaeroidea, c. 

10 mm diam. Bracteae involucri multi-seriatae, aliquantum corrugatae, nitidae. Bracteae intermediae 

in ambito obovatae, c. 5 mm longae; unguis latissime oblongus, hyalinus; stereoma spatulatum, parte 

terminali incrassata et dense lanosa; lamina late elliptica, integra, straminea. Receptaculum conicum, 

tuberculatum. Flosculi numerosi, bisexuales, actinomorphi. Corolla c. 4 mm longa, glabra; lobi 5, 

anguste oblongi, c. 1.5 mm longi, intra laeves; nervi corollae ad apice tubi extensi. Antherae: 

appendix sterilis ovata, acuta, c. 0.6 mm longa, cellulis oblongis, parietibus nec incrassatis; caudis 

filamentis debiles. Styli apex truncatus, nervo prominenti ad basem apicis extenso. Achenium 

ellipsoideum c. 2 mm longum, dense sericeum, pilis in lobos inaequales terminantibus; pericarpum 

membranaceum, translucens; testa tenuiter coriacea, pallide brunea, cellulis crystallis oblongis 

409


repletis. Pappi setae librae, caducae, in parte inferiore angusto ellipticae, breviter plumosae, in parte 

superiore filiformae, sparse plumosae, ad extremum plumoso-penicillatae. 

Typus: Belele Station, c. 56 km WNW of Meekatharra, Western Australia, 30 Oct. 1965, D.W. Goodall 

3366 (holo: PERTH; iso: CANB). 

Erect annual to 25 cm high branching at and shortly above base. Stems loosely woolly, leafy 

throughout. Leaves cauline, alternate, sessile, very narrow-oblong, c. 10 mm long, 1 mm wide, sparsely 

woolly with crinkly hairs. Capitula homogamous, solitary, terminal to long branches, almost spherical, 

c. 10 mm diameter. Involucral bracts multi-seriate, somewhat crinkly, glossy, straw-coloured, similar 

throughout; intermediate bracts obovate in outline, c. 5 mm long; claw very broad-oblong, hyaline, 

woolly ciliate on distal margins, stereome spatulate with the terminal portion thickened and bearing a 

dense tuft of wool on abaxial surface, lamina broad-elliptic, entire, somewhat wrinkled, glabrous, glossy, 

straw-coloured. Receptacle ovoid, c. 3 mm high, 2.5 mm wide, glabrous, tuberculate with raised achenial 

scars. Florets numerous, homogamous, bisexual, actinomorphic. Corolla c. 4 mm long to base of lobes; 

tube narrow-cylindrical, glabrous; limb narrow-campanulate, glabrous; lobes 5, narrow-oblong, c. 1.5 mm 

long with a few glandular hairs (with large oblongoid terminal cells) on abaxial side, smooth within, 

vascular strands reaching to base of lobes. Anther appendage ovate, acute, c. 0.6 mm long, cells oblong 

with unthickened walls, marginal cells not differentiated; anther tails filamentous, weak. Style tip 

truncate, shortly penicillate, the vascular strand stout, not extending into apex. Achene ellipsoidal, c. 

2 mm long, densely long-silky to base, the duplex hairs terminating in two very uneven arms with one 

very short (c. 0.005-0.01 mm) and the other long (c. 0.3 mm), not myxogenic; pericarp thin, translucent; 

testa thinly coriaceous, pale brown, the outer cells filled with flat broad-oblong crystals that form an 

armour-like covering to seed. Pappus bristles slightly shorter than corolla, free, caducous, linear-elliptic 

and shortly plumose in lower half, filiform and sparsely plumose in upper half, plumose tufted at end. 

This species is known only from the type collection for which ecological information is not available. 

Rhodanthe sphaerocephala would appear to have no close relative but the morphology of its florets 

and fruits suggests affinity to other members of the section Synachyrum. 

Rhodanthe sterilescens (F. Muell.) Paul Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum sterilescens F. Muell., S. Sci. Rec. 2:274(1882). - Argyrocome sterilescens (F. Muell.) 

O. Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 1: 309 (1891). Type: Gascoyne River, W.A., 1882, Pollack (holo: MEL 110428; 

iso: PERTH). 

This species bears dense clusters of capitula that give it a similar appearance to Cephalipterum 

drummondii with which it has been frequently confused. 

Rhodanthe sterilescens differs from C. drummondii in the following significant characters: sessile 

capitula at base of plant in addition to terminal (not all terminal); capitula in a compact cyme (not 

dense umbel); indumentum woolly (not of curled filiform hairs with septate base and glandular 

stipitate hairs); achenial hairs slender of the normal duplex type (not clavate helically coiled and


barbed woolly); achenes free, three fertile and silky, the rest sterile and glabrous (not coalescent with 

1 or two fertile and the remainder sterile but hairy); achene narrowed at apex (not broad and lobed at apex). 

The two species are similar in floral characters, in the seed morphology, and in form of the crystals present 

in the testa. 

Rhodanthe stuartiana (Sond. & F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum stuartianum Sond. & F. Muell., Linnaea 25: 518 (1853). - Helipterum floribundum var. 

stuartianum (Sond. & F. Muell.) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:642(1867). Type citation: 'Ad fl. Murray leg. Stuart.’ 

Lectotype (here chosen): Ad fl. Murray, F. Mueller (MEL 604830). 

The type of Helipterum stuartianum is stated to have been collected by Stuart. A herbarium 

O.W. Sonder specimen (MEL 604830) labelled 'Ad fl. Murray’ was collected by F. Mueller and bears in 

(?)Sonder’s handwriting the phrase 'Antherae basi bisetae’; these words are used in the published 

description. A further collection from 'Near the Murray R.’ no. 785 (MEL 1539201) was evidently from 

Stuart. It bears the note 'This plant did not occur in my collection at Adelaide but I found seed of it amongst 

those you procured from Stephens’ [? William Stephens, a garden’s collector]. I have selected the 

Mueller collection (MEL 604830) as the lectotype since it was evidently studied by Sonder. 

Rhodanthe troedelii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum troedelii F. Muell., Victorian Naturalist 7:77(1890). Type citation: 'Near the Barrier-Ranges; 

Mrs Irvine, at Leight’s Creeks, beyond Beltana; Mrs Richards.’ Lectotype (here chosen): Leigh’s Creek, 

1887, Mrs Richards (lecto: MEL 110636; isolecto: MEL 696324, NSW 181421). 

Helipterum troedelii var. patens Ewart, J. White & B. Rees, Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria 22 n.s.:15(1909) pro 

parte as to lectotype. - H.roseum var. patens (Ewart et al.) J. Black, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. South 

Australia 45:21(1921). Type citation: 'Mt. Lyndhurst, M. Koch, No.1644 (1899); Fraser Range, W. Austr., 

R. Helms, 1891.’ Lectotype: Mt Lyndhurst, S. Australia, M. Koch 1644 (1899), AD 97650128, fide D. Cooke 

in Jessop & Toelken, Fl. South Australia edn 4, 1549(1986). 

The syntype material of H.troedelii var. patens consists of two species. The collection of Max 

Koch represents Rhodanthe troedelii while the collection of R. Helms represents the 'Nullarbor’ 

variant of R. chlorocephala. J.M. Black (1921 l.c.) indicated that he had examined duplicate material 

of the Helms syntype and recognised it as being a variant of Helipterum roseum, he therefore 

transferred var. patens to that species (which is a synonym of Rhodanthe chlorocephala). However, 

D. Cooke (1986 l.c.) lectotypified the name on a Max Koch collection in herb. AD which had been 

received by Black as a donation from MEL and is probably a duplicate of the Max Koch syntype (it 

does not bear the month of collection that is present on the syntype). The AD specimen had been 

annotated by Ewart as 'typical H. Troedelii’. In herb. MEL the Max Koch syntype has had the epithet 

'var. patens’ deleted, presumably by Ewart, while the Helms syntype has been labelled 'type’. It would 

therefore appear that subsequent to its publication Ewart intended to apply the epithet var. patens to 

the element represented by the Helms collection which was also the way in which Black applied the 

name (as a synonym of H. roseum) in 1921 and in the Flora of South Australia (1929). 

411


7. Rhodanthe sect. Helipteridium (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum sect. Helipteridium A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:231(1852). Type: Helipterum 

discoideum A. Gray 

Helipterum sect. Aglossum F. Muell., Fragm. 3:137(1863) nomen. 

Annual erect herb, sparsely woolly with filiform hairs, and with curled uniseriate septate hairs, 

eglandular. Major axes slender. Leaves alternate, flat, sessile. Capitula heterogamous, solitary, terminal. 

Involucre hemispherical, not radiant. Receptacle glabrous with prominent alveolae. Involucral bracts 

c. 4-seriate, glabrous, glossy, uniform; claw broad-oblong with a broad herbaceous stereome and narrow 

scarious margins; lamina short, erect, scarious. Florets bisexual or the inner male. Corolla slightly 

zygomorphic; tube cylindrical, pubescent with gland-tipped hairs; throat turbinate, glabrous; lobes 5, 

unequal, papillose within, vascular strands extending to apex of lobes. Anther appendix deltoid, cells 

short and irregular; anther tails filamentous, weak. Style apex truncate with a subulate coalescence of 

epidermal cells in the centre. Achene ellipsoid, silky pilose with normal duplex hairs; carpopodium 

annular; pericarp brittle; testa soft with numerous oblong crystals, lower 2/3 surrounded by a network 

of vascular strands. Pappus bristles linear-acuminate, plumose. 

A monotypic section. 

Rhodanthe heterantha (Turcz.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum heteranthum Turcz., Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. 24/1 :198 (1851). Type: Nova Hollandia, 

J. Drummond 4th coll. n.214 (holo: KW photo seen; iso: K, MEL 110231, 110233). 

Helipterum discoideum A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:231(1852). Type citation: 'Variat 

a, involucro pallido; ß, involucro sanguineo. Swan River (ß, Swan River to King George’s Sound), 

Drummond.’ (syn: K 'J. Drummond 96’, photo seen). 

Helipterum anactinum F. Muell., Fragm.3:137(1863). Type citation: 'Ad sinum orarium Champion Bay. 

Walcott et Oldfield.’ Lectotype (here chosen): Champion Bay, A. Oldfield (lecto: MEL 110229). 

Helipterum heteranthum var. majus Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:643(1867). Type: Between Moore and 

Murchison rivers, J. Drummond 6th coll. n.152 (holo: K; iso: MEL 110226, NSW). 

Helipterum pachychaetum W.Fitzg., J. W. Austral. Nat. Hist. Soc. No.2:25(May 1905). Lectotype (here 

chosen): Jacup, 50 miles west of Phillips River, Oct.1903, C.R.P. Andrews (lecto: PERTH; isolecto: NSW). 

Helipterum heteranthum var. minor Ewart, J. White & Tovey, J. Roy. Soc. N.S.Wales 42:190(1908). 

Lectotype (here chosen): Cowcowing, W.A., Oct.1904, M. Koch 1108 (lecto: MEL 110220; isolecto: MEL 

110221). 

8. Rhodanthe sect. Helichrysoides (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Pteropogon sect. Helichrysoides A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:267(1852). Type: 

Pteropogon spicatus Steetz


Annual erect herbs, woolly or glandular puberulous. Leaves cauline, alternate, filiform to obovate. 

Capitula homogamous or heterogamous, clustered, paniculate or condensed in spike-like inflorescences. 

Involucre turbinate to cylindrical, not radiant; bracts multiseriate, glabrous or glandular pubescent, 

scarious or with herbaceous tips; stereome small, basal. Receptacle convex to broad-conical, glabrous 

or scabrid. Florets 5-30, bisexual, or the innermost male. Corolla actinomorhpic , sparsely puberulous, 

narrow-cylindrical below, narrow-campanulate above; lobes ovate, papillose or smooth within, vascular 

strands extending to tips. Stamens: anther apex ovate the distal cells slightly raised at tip; tails 

filamentous, weak. Style apex broad to narrow-deltoid, puberulous, vascular strand extending to tip. 

Achene narrow-obovoid to narrow-turbinate, pilose almost to base; carpopodium an extremely short 

ring; pericarp rough, thick, brittle, dark brown; testa free from pericarp, membranous, vascular strand 

extending almost completely around seed; crystals absent. Pappus persistent; bristles thick at base, 

plumose, the cilia all acute. 

The section Helichrysoides is similar to sect. Leiochrysum but differs in the nature of the involucral 

bracts (foliaceous at apex except in R. spicata), the presence of vascular strands at the apex of the corolla 

lobes, the deltoid style apex, and the thick brittle pericarp. It is also similar to species in the genus 

Podotheca in the morphology of the achene, the deltoid style apex, and the foliaceous apex to the 

involucral bracts. In the latter genus the chromosome number is n=13, 26 (Short 1989) whereas in 

Rhodanthe sect. Helichrysoides the three species R. battii, R. pollackii, and R. spicata, have a 

chromosome number of n = 10 (B. Turner in sched.); the number for R. charsleyae has not been recorded. 

Warcup (1990) has shown that R. battii and R. spicata do not form ectomycorrhiza whereas species of 

Podotheca that have been tested do; this again suggests that the species in sect. Helichrysoides should 

not be placed in Podotheca. 

Rhodanthe battii (F. Muell.) Paul. G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum battii F.Muell., Victorian Naturalist 10:144(1893). Type: Between Dundas-Hills and Lake- 

Lefroy, 1893, J.D. Batt (holo: MEL 110727). 

[Podotheca pollackii auct. non (F.Muell.) Diels: Diels & Pritzel, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 35:615-623(1905) as 

to specimen cited and description.] 

Rhodanthe pollackii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Podosperma pollackii F. Muell., Fragm. 12:21(1882); - Podotheca pollackii (F. Muell.) Diels, Bot. Jahrb. 

Syst. 35:617(1905). Type citation: 'In vicinia fluminis Gascoyne-River; Forrest et Pollack.’ Syntype: 

Gascoyne River, 1882, J. Forrest (PERTH). 

Rhodanthe charsleyae (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum charsleyae F. Muell., Fragm. 8:168(1874). Type citation:'In vicinia lacus Amadei, Giles; prope 

lacum Lefroyi, Forrest.’ Lectotype (here chosen): Lake Lefroy, State Well, A. Forrest (MEL 110714). 

Rhodanthe spicata (Steetz) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Pteropogon spicatus Steetz in Lehm., Pl.Preiss. 1:479(1845); A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. 

Misc. 4:268(1852). - Helipterum spicatum (Steetz) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:647(1867). Type citation: 

413


'In limoso-calculosis illustribus lateris orientalis montis Lehmann’, 4 Sept.1839, L. Preiss 24. 

Lectotype (here chosen): MEL 110492; isolecto MEL 110493, MEL 604832. 

Helipterum monencyanthoides F. Muell., Fragm. 3:137(1863). - H. spicatum var. pallens Benth., 

Fl. Austral. 3:648(1867). Type citation: 'Ad rivos Tom [i.e. Tone] River et Salt River’, G.Maxwell. 

Lectotype (here chosen): Banks and valleys of Salt River, G.Maxwell 75 (MEL 110707). 

Calocephalus globosus M.Scott & Hutch., Kew Bull. 1916:36(1916). Type: Kauring, on York - Greenhills 

line, Western Australia, F. Stoward 505 (holo: K photo seen). 

9. Rhodanthe sect. Actinaria Paul G. Wilson, sect. nov. 

Herba annua erecta sparse glanduloso puberula. Folia caulina, alterna, applanata. Capitula 

homogama, solitaria, terminalia. Involucrum cupulatum ad hemisphaericum, radians; bracteae manifeste 

dimorphae, multiseriatae; bractea exteriora anguste linearia, acuminata, glanduloso puberula; bracteae 

interiores ungue anguste oblongo, lamina ovata, petaloidea. Receptaculum pulvinatum, glabrum, laeve. 

Flosculi numerosi, bisexuales, homomorphi, actinomorphi. Corolla infra tubulosa supra anguste 

turbinata, pallido flava, 5-loba; lobi glabri, extra sparse pilosi, intra laeves. Antherae: appendix anguste 

ovatus, cellulis anguste oblongis parietibus tenuibus; caudae parte proximali firmae, parte distali 

filamentosae debiles. Styli apex ellipsoideus, nervo carenti. Achenium cylindraceum, c. 1 mm longum, 

modice pilosum, pilorum longitudine dissimili (0.02-0.2 mm); carpophorum annulare; pericarpium 

unicellulam crassum, crustaceum; testa membranacea, unicellulam crassum, translucens, crystallis 

carentibus. Pappi setae filiformes,imo basi connatae, in statu integro caducae, breviter plumosae. 

Typus: Rhodanthe margarethae (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 

Erect annual herbs, branched, sparsely glandular puberulous. Branches slender, reddish. Leaves 

cauline, alternate, thin. Capitula homogamous, solitary, terminal to branches. Involucre cup-shaped to 

hemispherical, c. 2 cm diameter, radiant; bracts distinctly dimorphic; outer bracts narrow-linear, 

acuminate, c. 4 mm long, glandular puberulous; inner bracts with erect narrow-oblong woolly ciliate claw 

and spreading ovate petaloid white or pale yellow lamina, the stereome narrow-oblong, thick and 

glandular puberulous. Receptacle cushion-shaped, c. 5 mm diameter, smooth, papillose around alveolae. 

Florets numerous, bisexual, 5-merous, actinomorphic. Corolla narrow-tubular below, expanded above, 

pale yellow, very sparsely puberulous outside, lobes smooth within, cells of inner epidermis of lobes 

oblong. Stamens: anther tip narrow-ovate acute, cells narrow-oblong, the marginal cells forming an 

indeterminate row; anther tails firm, equal to collar. Style apex elliptic, shortly papillose, without 

vasculature. Achene cylindrical c. 1 mm long, moderately short pilose, hairs rounded at apex and of 

different lengths (0.02-0.2 mm); carpopodium a short glabrous ring; pericarp thin and crustaceous, 

brown; testa thin, translucent, without crystals. Pappus caducous as a whole; bristles filiform, shortly 

plumose throughout, connate in ring at base. 

A section of two morphologically similar species that are restricted in their distribution to the 

northwestern region of Western Australia. 

The section Actinaria differs from other members of the Rhodanthe complex in having narrowlinear 

outer involucral bracts, elliptic style apices that are without vasculature, filiform pappus 

bristles, and short blunt achenial hairs that are of different lengths. The habit of the two included


species is similar to that of R. manglesii in section Rhodanthe, as was noted by Mueller in his description 

of H. margarethae, but in floral characters the sections are very distinct. 

Rhodanthe margarethae (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum margarethae F. Muell., Fragm. 11:48(1878); F. Muell., Syst. Census Austral. Pl. 80(1882) 

'Margaritae’; F. Muell., Sec. Syst. Census Austral. Pl. 136(1889) 'Margaritae’; Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 

89:667(1929); Argyrocome margarethae (F. Muell.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891) 'Margaritae’. 

Type citation:'Ad amnem Jones’s Creek et flumen George's River prope Nickol-Bay; J. Forrest’. Lectotype 

(here chosen): Jone’s Creek and George River south of Roebourne, 1878, J. Forrest (MEL 110234). 

Distribution. Pilbara region (Fortescue Botanical District) of Western Australia. 

I have not found a syntype that was collected by J. Forrest near Nickol Bay, however, there is a 

specimen (MEL 110235) labelled by Mueller 'Helipterum Margarethae, Nickol River, A. Forrest’ which 

is possibly the collection referred to by him since Alexander Forrest was with John Forrest on the 

expedition to the Nickol Bay area in 1878. This A. Forrest collection is of Rhodanthe frenchii. Mueller 

describes the leaves as 'amplexantibus’ and the involucral bracts as 'candida’, that is, pure white, terms 

that apply to R. margarethae as lectotypified by the 'Jone’s creek and George River’ specimen, but not 

to the Nickol River collection. 

The epithet 'margarethae’ honours Margaret Forrest (1845-1929), wife of John Forrest the explorer 

and statesman. Mueller evidently considered a preferred latinization of her name to be 'margaritae’ for 

he used this variant in 1882 and 1889 as did Otto Kuntze in 1891. 

Rhodanthe frenchii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum frenchii F. Muell., S. Sci. Rec. 3:34(1883). Type citation: 'Near Menilayalya in the vicinity 

of Shark-Bay; J. Forrest’ (holo: MEL 50293 'Head of Menilyalya R., 1882, J. Forrest’). 

[Helipterum margarethae F. Muell., Fragm. 11:48(1878) pro parte as to the Nickol River collection, not 

as to lectotype] 

Distribution. Northern Carnarvon and north-west Ashburton Botanical districts of Western Australia. 

10. Rhodanthe sect. Anisolepis (Steetz) Paul G. Wilson, comb. et stat. nov. 

Anisolepis Steetz in Lehm., Pl.Preiss. 1:446(1845). Type: Anisolepis pyrethrum Steetz 

Annual erect herb, glabrous or sparsely and minutely puberulous. Stem simple or branched above, 

towards the base thickened and aerenchymatous. Leaves cauline, simple, entire, alternate or the lower 

opposite, if submerged filiform, otherwise oblong and somewhat fleshy, c. 5 mm long, towards the 

apex becoming ovate and with scarious margins. Capitula homogamous, solitary and terminal to stem 

and branches. Involucre at first turbinate, becoming hemispherical with age, often subtended by the 

uppermost leaves; bracts 2-seriate, all radiant and with claws: claw erect, narrow-deltoid, c. 1 mm 

long, margin scarious, stereome prominent, narrow-oblong, thick and raised, sparsely glandular, limb 

415


petaloid, radiating, white, elliptic, c. 5 mm long, eventually breaking away from the persistent claw. 

Receptacle narrow-conical, deeply foveolate, fimbrilliferous around foveolae. Florets numerous, 

bisexual. Corolla tube cylindrical, c. 1.5 mm long, sub-campanulate above, shortly 5-lobed; lobes 

triangular, abaxial surface with a few hairs that have large ovoid gland-cells at their tips, two of the lobes 

with adaxial surface papillose at base, the others glabrous, margins thickened; cells of inner epidermis 

of lobes irregularly oblong, of the neck oblong and undulate on margin. Anthers included; terminal 

appendage broad-oblong, obtuse, thin, cells oblong, thin-walled; tails weak and filamentous. Style tips 

rounded to acuminate; vascular strand extending to base of tip. Achene barrel-shaped, c. 1 mm long, 

dark reddish brown, pilose with fine hairs, not myxogenic; carpopodium very short, annular; pericarp 

very thinly crustaceous, pale brown; testa mauve, thinly coriaceous, vascular strands not apparent; 

crystals absent. Pappus c. 1 mm long of c. 10 narrowly triangular serrate scales united in lower half, tardily 

deciduous as a whole. 

Rhodanthe pyrethrum (Steetz) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Anisolepis pyrethrum Steetz in Lehm., Pl. Preiss. 1:447(1845). - Helipterum pyrethrum (Steetz) Benth., 

Fl. Austral. 3:642(1867). - Argyrocome pyrethrum (Steetz) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). Type 

citation: 'In depressis uliginosis sylvae supra oppidulum Perth, d. 26.Sept.1839. Herb. Preiss. No.14.’ 

Lectotype (here chosen): MEL 108293; isolecto: MEL 108294. 

There is some variability within this species but it is unclear as to how much is due to growth 

conditions. Collections made to the north of Perth have the lower (underwater) leaves linear-acuminate 

and opposite, whereas collections made to the south of Perth have the underwater leaves filiform and 

scattered. There are also slight differences between different populations in the size of achenes, in the 

distribution of the globular glands, and in the branching of the inflorescence. However, all these 

characters show such variability over the total species range that specific or infraspecific discrimination 

does not appear practicable. 

Rhodanthe pyrethrum is similar in some features to the species in Rhodanthe sect. Achyroclinoides, 

noticeably in the size and morphology of the achene. It differs from this section and from other sections 

of Rhodanthe, in the nature of the involucral bracts which are all radiant and which have claws that 

possess a very thick narrow-oblong stereome, in the laciniate scales of the pappus, and in the rounded 

to acuminate style apices. 

11. Rhodanthe sect. Polyphyllum Paul G. Wilson, sect. nov. 

Herba annua, modice lanosa, glandis sessilibus globosis sparse ornata. Folia numerosa, alterna, 

filiformia. Inflorescentium corymbosum. Capitula homogama, radiantia. Involucrum late turbinatum c. 

5 mm altum; bracteae intermediae scariosae, sparse lanosae, stereomate anguste oblongo, crasso; 

bracteae intimae similis sed limbo albo ornato. Flores 8-12, bisexuales; corolla tubularis, sparse 

glanduloso puberula, lobis 5, brevibus, intra glabris, nervis ad apicem extensis. Antherum appendice 

late ovato, crasso, caudis collum aequantibus, crassis, ramosis. Styli apex truncati, nervo crasso subapice 

extenso. Achenium doleiforme, truncatum, modice hirtellum; carpopodium crassum; pericarpium 

crustaceum, rugosum; testa chartacea, libra, nervo 3/4 circumdato; nervis pericarpi et testae in posite 

laterali locatis. Pappus corollam aequans; setae filamentosae, breviter plumosae, caducae. 

Typus: Rhodanthe polyphylla (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson


Annual erect herb, somewhat woolly and with scattered minute globular reddish brown glandular 

hairs, single stemmed. Leaves numerous, filiform. Inflorescence a terminal corymb. Capitula homogamous, 

shortly pedunculate, radiant. Involucre broadly turbinate c. 5 mm high; bracts c. 4-seriate; outer and 

intermediate bracts scarious, sparsely woolly with a thick narrow-oblong stereome; innermost bracts 

similar but with a short oblong white limb. Florets 8-12, bisexual; corolla narrow-tubular, slightly broader 

above, sparsely glandular puberulous; lobes 5 short, glabrous within, sparsely glandular puberulous 

outside, cells of inner epidermis narrow-oblong, vascular strands passing to apex of lobes. Anther 

appendage broad-ovate, thick, cells unevenly oblong; anther tails stout, branched, equal to collar. Style 

apex truncate, vascular strand thick and extending to just below apex. Achene barrel-shaped with a 

truncate apex, moderately hirtellous with slender duplex hairs; carpopodium thick; pericarp crustaceous, 

rough; testa papery, free from pericarp, vascular strand passing over apex of seed; vascular strands of 

pericarp and of testa in lateral position (in relation to cotyledons). Pappus equal to corolla; bristles 

filamentous, shortly plumose, shortly united at base, caducous. 

Note. A number of features make this monotypic section unique in the Helichrysum complex; these are: 

1) the numerous cauline, lanate, filiform leaves, 2) the short, stout, branched anther tails, and 3) the thick 

anther appendage with unevenly shaped oblong cells. Its position in relation to the other sections of 

Rhodanthe and to genera in the Casssinia complex is unclear. It is likely that this section should be 

recognised as a distinct genus. 

Rhodanthe polyphylla (F.Muell.) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Helipterum polyphyllum F. Muell., Fragm. 1:35(1858). - Argyrocome polyphylla (F. Muell.) Kuntze, 

Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). Type citation: 'In planitiebus basalticis a fluvio Brisbane usque ad montes 

Peak Range. - In tractu Kent’s Plains. W. Hill.’ Lectotype (here chosen): Brisbane River, Peak Range, 

F. Mueller (MEL 109740); syntype: Moreton Bay, Kents Plains, anon.(MEL 109757). 

Distribution. Eastern Queensland and north-east New South Wales. 

Cephalipterum A. Gray 

Cephalipterum A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:271(1852). Type: Cephalipterum drummondii 

A. Gray 

Annual erect herb, indumentum of curled filiform hairs septate at base with glandular stipitate 

hairs below capitula. Leaves cauline and basal, linear to obovate. Capitula heterogamous, very 

shortly pedunculate in dense terminal umbels. Involucre cup-shaped; bracts multiseriate, scarious, 

the innermost with a white or yellow lamina. Receptacle small, conical, glabrous. Florets numerous; 

1-2 outer bisexual, remainder male. Corolla narrow-urceolate, shortly 5-lobed, glabrous, lobes 

smooth within; vascular strands terminating in tube. Anthers: appendix ovate with narrow-oblong 

cells; collar short and broadly expanded at base; tails weak; style apex truncate, somewhat broader 

than style branch, prominently papillose. Achene broadly compressed obovoid with a broad-circular 

apex that has a hard raised lip on the abaxial margin; sterile achenes hard, broad-obovoid, the apical 

surface vertical; attachment small, carpopodium absent; indumentum (fertile and sterile achenes) of 

dense white clavate helically coiled duplex hairs on abaxial surface, of woolly clawed simple hairs 

on adaxial surface; pericarp thick and hard; testa thinly coriaceous closely covered all over with broad- 

417


oblong imbricate crystals; vascular strands of pericarp and testa medial in relation to the broadobovate 

embryo. Pappus bristles free, caducous, linear to filiform, shortly plumose in upper half, the 

terminal cilia congested, thickened and recurved. 

Cephalipterum drummondii A. Gray, op.cit 272. Type citation: 'Swan River, Drummond.’ n.v. 

Cephalipterum drummondii f. major Diels & Pritz., Bot. Jahrb. 35:615(1905) nom.illeg. (based on type 

forma). 

Cephalipterum drummondii f. minor Diels & Pritz., l.c. 

Type citation: 'hab. in distr. Coolgardie pr. Kanowna flor. m. Aug. (W.V. Fitzgerald in hb. Berl.); in distr. 

Austin pr. Murrinmurrin fl. m. Nov. (W.J. George).’ Neotype (here chosen): Kanowna, August 1898, 

W.V.Fitzgerald (PERTH). 

Note. The syntype material in herb. B is destroyed, I have therefore chosen as neotype a probable 

isosyntype in PERTH. 

This genus is similar in many features to species in Rhodanthe sect. Synachyrum, in particular in 

possessing a dense imbricate crystalline cover to the seed. Only one or two seeds in the capitulum are 

fertile but these coalesce to the sterile achenes by means of a dense mass of barbed hairs on their adaxial 

surfaces which cause the entire cluster to be dispersed as one unit from which one seedling emerges 

with the sterile achenes forming a persistent ring around the base of the root. The fertile achenes bear 

at their tip a raised rim on their abaxial margin; this character is unique in the Rhodanthe complex. 

A number of variants of this species occur which vary in the size and colour of the involucral bracts 

with sometimes two or more variants being present at the same locality. It is probable that the variants 

have edaphic preferences but speculation on this matter has still to be confirmed. Some of these variants 

may warrant recognition; Turner (1970) has recorded chromosome counts of n =12 and n = 14 for the 

species, however, the voucher material (PERTH) for the counts appears to be morphologically identical. 

Erymophyllum Paul G. Wilson 

Erymophyllum Paul G. Wilson, Nuytsia 7:105(1989). 

Type: Erymophyllum gracile (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson. 

Pteropogon sect. Helipteroides A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:269(1852). Lectotype: 

Pteropogon gracilis A. Gray (Wilson 1989b). 

For list of species see Wilson 1989b.


The Hyalosperma group 

Hyalosperma Steetz 

Hyalosperma Steetz in Lehm., Pl. Preiss. 1:476(1845). Lectotype: Hyalosperma glutinosum Steetz 

(Wilson 1989a). 

Helipterum sect. Pachypterum Steetz in Lehm., Pl. Preiss. 1:473(1845). Lectotype: Helipterum cotula 

(Benth.) DC. (Wilson 1989a). 

Pteropogon sect. Pteropogonopsis A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:269(1852). Type: 

Pteropogon demissus A. Gray. 

For description and list of species see Wilson 1989a. 

Gilberta Turcz. 

Gilberta Turcz., Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. 24/1:192 (pre 27 March 1851). Type: Gilberta tenuifolia Turcz. 

Antheidosorus A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 3:98 (April 1851). Type: Antheidosorus gracilis 

A. Gray. 

Erect annual, moderately arachnoid. Leaves alternate, filiform. Capitula heterogamous, terminal to 

short lateral branches, nutant in fruit. Involucre turbinate to hemispherical, c. 4 mm high, radiant; outer 

bracts very broadly ovate, hyaline, slightly woolly at base; intermediate bracts with a broad hyaline 

slightly woolly claw and a short spreading yellow limb; innermost bracts obovate, hyaline, pale yellow, 

not radiating; stereome of ray bracts short and triangular. Receptacle flat, covered with scarious narrowoblong 

receptacular bracts of which c. 5 surround each floret. Florets actinomorphic, the outer row 

bisexual and the remainder male. Bisexual florets: Corolla glabrous, the vascular strands terminating at 

apex of throat; tube narrowly cylindrical; throat very short and turbinate; lobes 5, oblong, acute, 

prominent, smooth within, the cells narrow-oblong with straight walls. Anthers exserted; terminal 

appendage ovate, c. 0.2 mm long, cells narrow-oblong with thin walls; tails weak and filamentous. Style 

apex narrow-ovate to deltoid, densely papillose, the vascular strand slender and extending to base of 

apex. Achene compressed obovoid, c. 1.5 mm long, minutely colliculate; carpopodium minute (scarcely 

apparent); pericarp thick and transparent, strongly myxogenic; testa thinly coriaceous, brown, without 

crystals, vascular strands not apparent. Sterile achenes linear. Pappus of 5 unequal linear-acuminate 

shortly plumose bristles of which one or two have clavate terminal cilia; pappus of fertile florets weak 

and caducous as a whole, of male florets indurated at base and persistent on achene. 

Gilberta tenuifolia Turcz., op.cit.193. Type: Western Australia, J. Gilbert 277 (holo: KW). 

Antheidosorus gracilis A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 3:174 (June 1851). - Myriocephalus 

gracilis (A.Gray) Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:559(1867). Type: Swan river Colony, J. Drummond, n.v. 

419


Helipterum verecundum S. Moore, J. Linn. Soc. 34:200(1899). Type citation: 'Juxta Coolgardie 

repperi mens. Aug. florentem’, S. Moore, n.v. 

Asa Gray (1851) suggested that, due to the presence of receptacular bracts, this species had affinities 

to Myriocephalus. However, as has been pointed out by Short et al. (1989), Gilberta has little in common 

with M. appendiculatus Benth., the type of Myriocephalus. The florets and achenes of Gilberta 

tenuifolia are, in fact, very similar to those of Hyalosperma, particularly to H. glutinosum (Steetz) 

Paul G. Wilson. Both of these species have a similar corolla with narrow-oblong cells in the inner 

epidermis of the lobes, almost identical anthers and style apices, a similar pappus, and very similar 

achenes in which the pericarp forms a pellucid myxogenic layer around the seed. The leaves and 

indumentum of Gilberta are also of the same form as those found in Hyalosperma. Gilberta differs most 

obviously in the arrangement of the capitula and in the presence of capitular bracts around each floret; 

it also has glabrous corolla lobes whereas in H. glutinosum the corolla lobes have hairs that possess 

a large ovoid terminal gland. 

According to Warcup (1990) both Gilberta and Hyalosperma form an ectomycorrhizal association 

while four species currently placed in Myriocephalus that have been tested do not. 

The two names, Gilberta and Antheidosorus, were evidently published within a few days of each 

other. A copy of the Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 24/1 was lodged with the Censor on 17 January 

1851 (Old Style Calendar) and presented to the Society on 15 March 1851 (O.S.) which is equivalent to 

27 March 1851 (New Style). I have taken the date on which it was presented to the Society as being the 

date of publication (see Stafleu 1969, Marchant 1989). According to Stafleu and Cowan (1979), p.98 of 

Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. vol. 3 was published in April 1851 and p.174 in June 1851. 

The spelling Gilberta (and not Gilbertia) was deliberately used by Turczaninow in order that it could 

be better distinguished from Gilibertia Ruiz & Pav., a genus in the Araliaceae. 

The Triptilodiscus group 

Triptilodiscus Turcz. 

Triptilodiscus Turcz., Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 24/2:66(Aug.-Nov. 1851). Type: T. pygmaeus 

Turcz. 

Dimorpholepis A. Gray in Hooker, Icon. Pl. 9:t.856(Sept.-Nov.1851); A. Gray, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. 

Misc. 4:227(Aug.1852). Type: D. australis A. Gray. 

Duttonia F. Muell., Linnaea 25:409(1853). Type: D. sessiliceps F. Muell. 

Annual herb with several major axes, sparsely pilose with slender hairs. Leaves alternate linear 

to narrow-oblong. Capitula heterogamous, terminating branches and subtended by c. 5 leaves of 

which one or more may bear a shoot that continues growth to give a monochasial conflorescence. 

Involucre subglobular c. 6 mm high, not radiant. Outer bracts scarious, hyaline, narrow-elliptic, ± 

equal to head, long-ciliate with linear stereome. Inner bracts narrow-oblong, slightly exceeding outer


bracts, cartilaginous and prominently thickened with narrow scarious shortly ciliate margin and 

scarious ciliate apex, somewhat boat-shaped, hispidulous abaxially. Receptacle broad-conical, smooth, 

glabrous. Florets discoid, a few outer female, remainder bisexual. Female florets: corolla very narrowtubular 

2-2.5 mm long, narrow-urceolate at apex, eventually curved outwards, very shortly 3-dentate, 

minutely and sparsely glandular puberulous with uniseriate hairs; inner cells of urceolate portion with 

sinuate margins, lobes densely papillose within; pappus a short corona of barbellate scales, sometimes 

with one shortly plumose bristle. Bisexual florets: corolla narrow-tubular, urceolate above, minutely 4dentate, 

c. 2.5 mm long, at first erect eventually curved outwards, otherwise as in female florets; antherappendage 

oblong, very thin, cells narrow-oblong, unthickened; anther tails filamentous, shorter than 

collar; style apex truncate; achene narrow-cylindrical, c. 1.8 mm long, minutely puberulous with 2-celled 

tooth-like hairs rounded at apex; pericarp diaphanous; testa leathery, smooth, without crystals; boss 

a minute narrow ring; pappus bristles 3-4, linear-acuminate, shortly plumose, c. 2.5 mm long, persistent, 

Triptilodiscus pygmaeus Turcz., l.c. - Helipterum pygmaeum (Turcz.) Druce in Hayward & Druce, 

Advent. Fl. Tweedside 103(1919) comb. illeg. Type: Western Australia, J. Drummond 5th coll. n.54 (iso: 

MEL 109204). 

Dimorpholepis australis A. Gray, l.c. - Helipterum dimorpholepis Benth., Fl. Austral. 3:650(1867) nom. 

illeg. - Argyrocome dimorpholepis Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1:309(1891). - Helipterum australe 

(A. Gray) Druce, Bot. Exch. Club Brit. Isles 1916, 4:627(1917). Type citation: 'Hab. South-western 

Australia, Drummond. Also in the interior of Eastern Australia, at Bathurst Plains, Fraser; and Nangers, 

Captain M'Arthur.’ Syntype: J. Drummond 54 (K, photo seen). 

Duttonia sessiliceps F. Muell., Linnaea 25:410(1853). Type citation: 'In pratis prope rivum Rocky-creek.’ 

Lectotype (here chosen): Rocky Creek, Oct. 1851, F. Mueller (lecto: MEL 109152; isolecto: MEL 109197). 

There is uncertainty over the publication dates of Triptilodiscus Turcz. and Dimorpholepis A. Gray. 

The former name was published in the Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou vol.24 part 2 no. 3 which was 

sent to the Censor on 15 August 1851 and presented to the Society on 5 November 1851 (New Style 

calendar). The latter name was published as tab. 856 of the Icones Plantarum which appeared between 

September and November 1851 or possibly later, fide C. Jeffrey in litt. I have adopted the Turczaninow 

name, as did Laurie Haegi (1986), since there is the greater likelihood of it having priority. 

This genus is closely related to Haegiela which shares the same branching habit of the conflorescence, 

as well as the same hair type, and similar corolla and achene characters. Haegiela differs principally in 

the absence of a pappus, the presence of crystals in the testa, and the presence of unthickened inner 

involucral bracts. 

Haegiela P. Short & Paul G. Wilson 

Haegiela P. Short & Paul G. Wilson, Muelleria 7:259(1990). Type: Haegiela tatei (F. Muell.) P. Short & 

Paul G. Wilson 

For description and discussion see Short & Wilson, op.cit. 

421


Pterochaeta Steetz 

Pterochaeta Steetz in Lehm., Pl. Preiss. 1:456(1845). Type: Pterochaeta paniculata Steetz 

Annual woolly herb with one to several major axes. Leaves alternate, oblong. Capitula 

homogamous, shortly pedunculate, racemosely arranged, subtended by two leafy bracts. Involucre 

broad urceolate; bracts multiseriate, long ciliate, woolly, pale yellow; outer bracts ovate, scarious, 

attenuate at base with a minute hard green stereome, shortly apiculate with a pale fawn lamina; 

intermediate bracts broad-ovate scarious with a narrow-oblong hard claw (stereome) and a short 

oblong lamina; innermost bracts very short on a narrow-oblong hard naviculiform claw; receptacle 

naked; florets c. 20, outer female, inner bisexual, actinomorphic. Corolla cylindrical, shortly 4-lobed 

in female, 5-lobed in bisexual, glabrous; lobes glabrous within, thickened on margin; cells of throat 

undulate. Anther c. 0.7 mm long, delicate, appendage short, thin; tails filamentous. Style apex 

truncate. Achene narrow-ellipsoid, shortly beaked, covered with 2-celled tooth-like papillae; 

pericarp thin and weak, transparent, myxogenic, vascular strands laterally placed in relation to the 

cotyledons; testa leathery, brown rugulose, cells very thick walled and deeply undulate with scattered 

narrow-oblong crystals, vascular strand laterally placed and confined to near base of seed; carpopodium 

minute, annular. Pappus equal to corolla; bristles plumose, persistent. 

One species endemic to southern Western Australia. 

Pterochaeta paniculata Steetz in Lehm., op.cit. 455. - Waitzia paniculata (Steetz) Benth., 

Fl. Austral. 3:637(1867). Lectotype (here chosen): In limoso-arenosis planitiei haud longe a praedio 

rustico "Maddington", et sinu regis Georgii III., Nov.[18]39 et [18]40. L. Preiss. No.35. (lecto: MEL 

1585199; isolecto: LD). 

The genus Waitzia differs from Pterochaeta most obviously in habit, in the nature of the anther 

apiculum and anther tails, in having a stout deltoid style apex with a vascular strand extending to the 

tip, and in the form of the achene. The vascular strands of the pericarp in Waitzia are medially placed 

in relation to the cotyledons whereas in Pterochaeta they are laterally placed. 

Haptotrichion Paul G. Wilson, gen. nov. 

Herba annua erecta pilis septatis glandulosis pubescens. Folia caulina alterna linearia. Capitula 

homogama, solitaria radiantia. Involucrum hemisphericum; bracteae c. 4-seriatae; bracteae exteriores 

elliptica hyalina longe ciliata, stereomate anguste oblongo plano; bracteae intimae ungue anguste 

elliptico longe ciliato, stereomate anguste oblongo, lamina elliptica flava. Receptaculum minute 

glanduloso papillosum. Flosculi numerosi, bisexuales, actinomorphi. Corolla tubo gracili glanduloso 

piloso, limbo campanulato glabro; lobi 5, ovati, nervis ad apicem extensis. Antherae: appendix ovatus 

tenuis, cellulis marginalibus manifeste discretis, cellulis basalibus ± equilateralibus, cetera anguste 

oblongis; caudae filamentosae collum superantes. Styli apex truncatus. Achenium angusto 

ellipticum compressum, ad apicem in rostro productum, papillis 2-cellulis dentoideis ornatis; 

pericarpium: stratum exterius cellulis cubicis parietibus tenuibus; stratum interius cellulis incrassatis, 

lignosis, sclerenchymatis; testa tenuissima, nervo circumnexo. Pappus persistens, setis filiformibus, 

denticulatis, basi versus in tubo conjunctis. 

Typus: Haptotrichion conicum (B. Turner) Paul G. Wilson


Annual erect herbs pubescent with gland-tipped septate hairs. Leaves cauline, alternate, linear. 

Capitula solitary and terminal to long branches, radiant. Involucre hemispherical; bracts c. 4-seriate; 

outer bracts elliptic, hyaline, long-ciliate with a brown narrow-oblong flat stereome; innermost bracts 

with a narrow-elliptic hyaline long-ciliate claw, a narrow-oblong stereome, and a yellow elliptic 

lamina. Receptacle minutely glandular papillose. Florets numerous, bisexual, actinomorphic. 

Corolla: tube slender, glandular pilose; limb campanulate, glabrous; lobes five, ovate, vascular 

strands extending to tips. Anther; appendage ovate, thin, marginal cells differentiated, basal cells ± 

equilateral, medial and distal cells narrow-oblong; tails slender delicate, extending to beyond collar. 

Style apex truncate; vascular strand prominent, extending almost to tip. Achene narrow-elliptic, 

compressed, extending into a terminal beak, minutely papillose with 2-celled tooth-like trichomes; 

carpopodium annular, short; pericarp: outer layer of 1-cell thick layer of thin-walled cubical cells; 

inner layer of 2-3 rows of thick walled sclerenchymatous cells; testa extremely thin, more or less 

adherent to pericarp; endosperm thin, free from testa; vascular strands of pericarp lateral (in relation 

to cotyledons); vascular strand of testa passing almost completely around seed in lateral position. 

Pappus bristles filiform, barbellate, united below to form a cup-shaped base, entire or slit on one side, 

persistent. 

Haptotrichion conicum had been placed in Waitzia since it possessed beaked achenes. It differs 

from Waitzia most obviously in 1) having a different type of indumentum (not cottony), 2) having broad 

flat hyaline claws to the inner involucral bracts (not terete and firm), 3) in having truncate style apices 

(neither ellipsoid nor deltoid), and 4) in having delicate filamentous anther tails (not slender and firm). 

Haptotrichion further differs from Waitzia in the anatomy of the achene for its pericarp has an outer 

single-celled layer of thin-walled cube like cells and an inner layer of several rows of thick-walled 

sclerenchymatous cells, while the testa is extremely thin and delicate. In Waitzia the pericarp consists 

of a thin layer of hyaline linear cells while the testa is thick, rugose, and made up of thick-walled 

collenchyma. The vascular strand in the testa of Haptotrichion passes almost completely around the 

seed but in Waitzia it is confined to the base. 

From Pterochaeta this genus differs in the manner of branching of the stem and inflorescence (q.v.), 

in the nature of the involucral bracts, the nature of the corolla, and the nature of the anther apiculum. 

In Pterochaeta, Haptotrichion and Waitzia the achenes are beaked and bear tooth-like 2-celled 

trichomes but in other characters the genera are very distinct. 

The genus consists of two species, both endemic to the Carnarvon District (Beard 1980) of Western 

Australia. 

Haptotrichion colwillii Paul G. Wilson, sp. nov. (Figure 6) 

Herba erecta ad 25 cm alta. Rami glanduloso puberuli sub capitula pilosi. Folia linearia, 8-15 mm longa, 

glanduloso puberula. Involucrum hemisphaericum, c. 10 mm altum et latum; bracteis exterioribus late 

ellipticis, hyalinis, ciliatis; bracteis intimis ungue anguste elliptico, c. 9 mm longo, hyalino, ciliato, limbo 

anguste obovato obtuso, 9-15 mm longo, luteo. Corolla c. 5 mm longa, tubo glanduloso hirtello, limbo 

anguste turbinato, glabro, intra sub lobis papilloso. Achenium anguste ellipsoideum c. 2.5 mm longum, 

denticulatum; rostrum gracile, laeve, ad 3 mm longum. Pappus persistens, setis in basi connatis, 

tubiformibus. 

Typus: 7 km S of Overlander Roadhouse [c. 170 km S of Carnarvon], Western Australia, 1 Sept. 1985, 

H. Demarz 10702 (holo: PERTH). 

423


Figure 6. Haptotrichion colwillii. A - Habit. B - Florets. C - Pappus bristle apices. D - Hair of corolla. E - Style apex. 

F - Outer, intermediate, and inner involucral bracts. G - Anther. H - Achene with pappus. I - Achene. J - Achene papillae. 

K - Capitulum. L & M - Hairs of stem. N - Leaf. From H. Demarz 10702.


Erect herb to 25 cm high, branching at base. Principal axes slender, to 20 cm high, simple or 

sparsely branched, glandular puberulous, pilose beneath capitulum. Leaves linear, 8-15 mm long, 

c. 0.7 mm wide, glandular puberulous, margins slightly recurved. Involucre hemispherical, c. 10 mm 

high and wide. Outer bracts broad-elliptic, hyaline, ciliate; stereome narrow-triangular, brown, 

glandular puberulous. Innermost bracts: claw narrow-elliptic, c. 9 mm long, hyaline, ciliate, stereome 

very narrow-oblong, glabrous except for the glandular puberulous apex; limb narrow-obovate, obtuse, 

9-15 mm long, yellow. Corolla c. 5 mm long; tube narrow, glandular hirtellous with multicelled hairs; 

limb narrow-turbinate, glabrous, shortly 5-lobed, papillose within below junction of lobes. Achene 

compressed narrow-ellipsoid, c. 2.5 mm long, barbellate with 2-celled papillae; beak slender, smooth, 

to 3 mm long. Pappus more or less equal to corolla, persistent, bristles united towards base to form 

a tube c. 2 mm long. 

Additional specimen examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Hamelin Pool, 16 Sept. 1984, J. Colwill s.n. 

(PERTH). 

Habitat. Found on red sand over limestone (fide H. Demarz in sched.). 

Distribution. Only known from near Hamelin Pool, c. 170 km south of Carnarvon, Western Australia. 

Notes. Haptotrichion colwillii is very similar to H. conicum which is known from an area between 

Carnarvon and Gascoyne Junction. The latter species differs most obviously in 1) the leaves ending 

in a rounded 'capitate’ tip, 2) the receptacle being narrow-conical (not rounded), and 3) the pappus sheath 

being split along one side. 

Haptotrichion colwillii is named after John Colwill, a Western Australian horticulturalist who has 

a particular interest in the native Asteraceae and who first collected this species. 

The illustration is drawn from a plant raised from seed collected by Herbert Demarz and grown at Kings 

Park Botanic Garden, Perth. I should like to thank the staff of Kings Park for their unstinted assistance 

in my study of this and other annual species of the Rhodanthe complex. 

Haptotrichion conicum (B. Turner) Paul G. Wilson, comb. nov. 

Waitzia conica B. Turner, Sida 2:428(1966). Type: 11 miles west of Gascoyne Junction, 24 Aug. 1965, 

B.L. Turner 5405 (holo: MEL 598263; iso: MEL 598265, PERTH). 

[Waitzia podolepis auct. non (Gaud.) Benth.: F. Muell., Zeitschrift des allgem. österreich. Apotheker- 

Vereines 34 (no.36):933-936 (1896); F. Muell., Pl. Indig. Sharks Bay 16(1883).] 

Distribution. Between Carnarvon and Gascoyne Junction, Western Australia. 

A description of this species was provided by Mueller (1883) based on a collection made by 

J. Polak (or Pollack) in 1882 from the Gascoyne River region (MEL 1584941). Mueller assumed that 

the plant he was describing was Waitzia podolepis (Gaudich.) Benth.: 'this plant represents evidently 

the genuine species, illustrated by Gaudichaud’, even though Mueller had seen no authentic material 

of that species. In 1896 Mueller again included the Pollack specimen under W. podolepis but without 

comment. In 1905 Diels and Pritzel stated that the Pollack collection was not W. podolepis, however, 

they did not give it a name. 

425


Acknowledgements 

I thank the various Australian herbaria who sent on loan much of their material of Helipterum for 

study. Kings Park Botanic Garden allowed me to have access to their live collection and provided me 

with seed of a number of species. Steve Hopper kindly searched for and collected from different 

populations of rare Rhodanthe species near Shark Bay. Photographs of relevant Asteraceae types in 

herb. KW were made available to me by my colleague Neville Marchant. Discussions and correspondence 

with Philip Short and Arne Anderberg have been stimulating and of considerable assistance. The 

drawings were prepared with much care by Margaret Menadue. 

References 

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2296. 

Anderberg, A.A. (1991). Taxonomy and phylogeny of the tribe Gnaphalieae (Asteraceae). Opera Botanica 104:1-195. 

Beard, J.S. (1980). A new phytogeographic map of Western Australia. Western Australian Herb. Res. Notes No.3:37- 

58. 

Bentham, G. (1867). "Flora Australiensis." vol. 3. (Lovell Reeve, London.) 

Candolle, A.P. de (1838). 'Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis.’ Vol. 6. (Treuttel & Wurtz, Paris.) 

Erickson, R. (1969). "The Drummonds of Hawthornden." (Lamb Patterson, Perth.) 

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Gard.Misc. 3:172-178. 

Haegi, L. (1986). Helichrysum Miller. In Jessop, J.P. & Toelken, H.R. "Fora of South Australia." (South Australian 

Government, Adelaide.) 

Hilliard, O.M. (1983). "Flora of Southern Africa." Vol. 33 Asteraceae part 7 Inuleae fasc. 2 Gnaphaliinae. 1-325. 

(Department of Agriculture, Pretoria.) 

Hilliard, O.M. & Burtt, B.L. (1981). Some generic concepts in Compositae-Gnaphaliinae. J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 82:181- 

232. 

Hnatiuk, R.J. (1990). Census of Australian vascular plants. (Bureau of Flora and Fauna, Canberra.) 

Marchant, N.G. (1990). The contribution of the Russian botanist Turczaninov to Australian plant taxonomy. In P.S. 

Short (ed), "History of systematic botany in Australasica."(Australian Systematic Botany Society Inc., Melbourne.) 

Nordenstam, B. (1989). A synopsis of the genus Syncarpha (Compositae-Gnaphalieae). Compositae Newsletter No 

17:2-6. 

Short, P.S. (1983). A revision of Angianthus Wendl., sensu lato (Compositae: Inuleae: Gnaphaliinae), 1. Muelleria 

5:143-183 (1983). 

Short, P.S. (1989). A revision of Podotheca Cass. (Asteraceae: Inuleae: Gnaphaliinae). Muelleria 7:39-56. 

Short, P.S. & Sinkora, D.M. (1988). The botanist Joachim Steetz (1804-1862). Muelleria 6:449-494. 

Short, P.S., Wilson, K.E. & Nailon, J. (1989). Notes on the fruit anatomy of Australian members of the Inuleae 

(Compositae). Muelleria 7:57-79. 

Stafleu, F.A. (1969). Turczaninow’s Flora Baicalensi Dahurica. Taxon 18:563-565. 

Stafleu, F.A. & Cowan, R.S. (1979). "Taxonomic literature, a selective guide to botanical publications and collections 

with dates, commentaries and types." Vol. 2. (Bonn, Scheltema & Holkema, Utrecht.) 

Turner, B.L. (1970). Chromosome numbers in the Compositae. XII Australian species. Amer. J. Bot. 57:382-389. 

Warcup, J.H. (1990). The mycorrhizal associations of Australian Inuleae (Asteraceae). Muelleria 7:179-187. 

Wilson, P.G. (1989a). A revision of the genus Hyalosperma (Asteraceae: Inuleae: Gnaphaliinae). Nuytsia 7:75-101. 

Wilson, P.G. (1989b). Erymophyllum (Asteraceae: Inuleae: Gnaphaliinae), a new Australian genus in the Helipterum 

complex. Nuytsia 7:103-116. 

Wilson, P.G. (1992a). The classification of Australian species currently included in Helipterum (Asteraceae: 

Gnaphalieae): Part 2 Leucochrysum. Nuytsia 8:439-445. 

Wilson, P.G. (1992b). The classification of the genus Waitzia Wendl. (Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae). Nuytsia 8:461-477. 

Wilson, P.G., Short, P.S., & Orchard, A.E. (1992). Some nomenclatural changes in the Angianthinae and Cassiniinae 

(Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae). Muelleria 7:519-524.


Index to Scientific Names 

New names are given bold type. Other accepted names are in roman. Synonyms are in italics. 

Acroclinium A. Gray 386 

multicaule A. Gray 387 

phyllocephalum A. Gray 394 

roseum A. Gray 387 

var. album G. Nicholson 387 

var. grandiflorum G. Nicholson 387 

rubellum A. Gray 398 

Anisolepis Steetz 415 

pyrethrum Steetz 416 

Antheidosorus A. Gray 419 

gracilis A. Gray 419 

Argyrocome Gaertn. 

charsleyae (F. Muell.) Kuntze 413 

chlorocephala (Turcz.) Kuntze 386 

condensata (F. Muell.) Kuntze 401 

corymbiflora (Schldl.) Kuntze 391 

corymbosa (A. Gray) Kuntze 401 

dimorpholepis (Benth.) Kuntze 421 

floribunda (DC.) Kuntze 408 

forrestii (F. Muell.) Kuntze 401 

frenchii (F. Muell.) Kuntze 415 

fuscescens (Turcz.) Kuntze 394 

haigii (F. Muell.) Kuntze 401 

heterantha (Turcz.) Kuntze 412 

humboldtiana (Gaudich.) Kuntze 396 

laevis (A. Gray) Kuntze 402 

manglesii (Lindley) Kuntze 384 

margarethae (F. Muell.) Kuntze 415 

moschata (DC.) Kuntze 385 

polycephala (A. Gray) Kuntze 404 

polygalifolia (DC.) Kuntze 397 

polyphylla (F. Muell.) Kuntze 417 

427


pygmaea (DC.) Kuntze 398 

pyrethrum (Steetz) Kuntze 416 

rosea (Hook.) Kuntze 387 

rubella (A. Gray) Kuntze 398 

spicata (F. Muell.) Kuntze 413 

sterilescens (F. Muell.) Kuntze 409 

stricta (Lindley) Kuntze 399 

tietkensii (F. Muell.) Kuntze 406 

Calocephalus 

globosus Hutch. 414 

gnaphalioides Hook. 385 

Cassinia 

cuprea F. Muell. 399, 404 

Cephalipterum A. Gray 417 

drummondii A. Gray 417 

f. major Diels & E. Pritzel 418 

f. minor Diels & E. Pritzel 418 

Dimorpholepis A. Gray 420 

australis A. Gray 421 

Duttonia F. Muell. 420 

sessiliceps F. Muell. 421 

Erymophyllum Paul G. Wilson 418 

gracile (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson 418 

Epaltes Cass. 

tatei F. Muell. 421 

Gilberta Turcz. 419 

tenuifolia Turcz. 419 

Gnaphalium 

moschatum DC. 385 

Griffithia J. Black 386 

helipteroides J. Black 397 

Haegiela P. Short & Paul G. Wilson 421 

tatei (F. Muell.) P. Short & Paul G. Wilson 421


Haptotrichion Paul G. Wilson 422 

colwillii Paul G. Wilson 423, 424 

conicum (B. Turner) Paul G. Wilson 425 

Helichrysum Miller 

sect. Acroclinium (A. Gray) Baillon 386 

sect. Rhodanthe (Lindley) Baillon 383 

anthemoides Sprengel 386 

drummondii F. Muell. 387 

grayi F. Muell. 387 

humboldtianum Gaudich. 396 

manglesii (Lindley) Baillon 384 

obtusifolium Sonder 381 

oldfieldii F. Muell. 407 

Helipterum DC. 

sect. Aglossum F. Muell. 412 

sect. Helipteridium A. Gray 412 

sect. Leiochrysum DC. 385 

sect. Monencyanthes (A. Gray) Benth. 384 

sect. Pachypterum Steetz 419 

sect. Pteropogon (DC.) Benth. 385 

sect. Sericophorum DC. 385, 408 

sect. Synachyrum A. Gray 408 

adpressum W. Fitzg. 436 

albicans (Cunn.) DC. 436 

album (Nicholson) L. Bailey 387 

album Ewart 401 

anactinum F. Muell. 412 

anthemoides (Sprengel) DC. 386 

australe (A. Gray) Druce 421 

battii F. Muell. 413 

charsleyae F. Muell. 413 

chionolepis F. Muell. 409 

chlorocephalum (Turcz.) Benth. 386 

cirratum Morrison 409 

429


clementii Domin 396 

condensatum F. Muell. 401 

corymbiflorum Schldl. 391 

var microglossa Benth. 396 

corymbosum (A. Gray) Benth. 401 

cotula (Benth.) DC. 419 

craspedioides W.V. Fitzg. 436 

cryptanthum O. Sarg. 384 

diffusum DC. 394 

dimorpholepis Benth. 421 

discoideum A. Gray 412 

drummondii (A. Gray) Ostenf. 398 

fitzgibbonii F. Muell. 436 

floribundum DC. 408. 409 

var. stuartianum (Sond.) Benth. 411 

var. tubulipappum J. Black 409 

forrestii F. Muell. 401 

frenchii F. Muell. 415 

fuscescens Turcz. 394 

haigii F. Muell. 401 

heteranthum Turcz. 412 

var. minor Ewart 412 

var. majus Benth. 412 

humboldtianum (Gaudich.) DC. 396 

laeve (A. Gray) Benth. 402 

largiflorens F. Muell. 396 

manglesii (Lindley) Benth. 384 

var. maculatum (J. Drumm. ex hort.) L.H. Bailey 384 

margarethae F. Muell. 415 

margaritae F. Muell. 415 

maryonii S. Moore 385 

microglossa (Benth.) Tate 396 

microglossum Maiden & E. Betche 396 

molle (DC.) Paul G. Wilson 437


monencyanthoides F. Muell. 414 

moschatum (DC.) Benth. 385 

mullinense S. Moore 401 

niveum Steetz 437 

oppositifolium S. Moore 397 

pachychaetum W. Fitzg. 412 

polycephalum (A. Gray) Benth. 404 

polygalifolium DC. 397 

var. leucactinum F. Muell. 394 

polyphyllum F. Muell. 417 

propinquum W. Fitzg. 398 

pterochaetum (F. Muell.) Benth. 437 

punctatum DC. 386 

pygmaeum (DC.) F. Muell. 398 

var. drummondii (A. Gray) Ostenf. 398 

var. occidentale Benth. 398 

pygmaeum (Turcz.) Druce 421 

pyrethrum (Steetz) Benth. 416 

roseum (Hook.) Benth. 387 

f. album (Nicholson) Moldenke 387 

var. album Guilfoyle 387 

var. album Ewart et al. 388 

var. grandiflorum (Nicholson) Chitt. 387 

var. nigropapposum Ostenf. 387 

var. patens (Ewart et al.) J. Black 388, 411 

rubellum (A. Gray) Benth. 398 

sandfordii Hook. 396 

spicatum (Steetz) Benth. 413 

var. pallens Benth. 413 

splendidum Hemsley 388 

sterilescens F. Muell. 409 

stipitatum (F. Muell.) Benth. 438 

strictum (Lindley) Benth. 399 

var. stenocephala S. Moore 399 

431


stuartianum Sond. 411 

tietkensii F. Muell. 406 

troedelii F. Muell. 411 

var patens Ewart et al. 388, 411 

uniflorum J. Black 385 

verecundum S. Moore 420 

Hyalosperma Steetz 419 

glutinosum Steetz 419 

Leptorhynchos Less. 

citrinus Benth. 407 

Monencyanthes A. Gray 384 

gnaphalioides (Hook.) A. Gray 384, 385 

Myriocephalus Benth. 

gracilis (A. Gray) Benth. 419 

Podosperma Labill. 

fuscescens (Turcz.) F. Muell. 394 

pollackii F. Muell. 413 

Podotheca Cass. 

fuscescens (Turcz.) Benth. 394 

pollackii (F. Muell.) Diels 413 

Pterochaeta Steetz 422 

paniculata Steetz 422 

Pteropogon DC. 385 

sect. Achyroclinoides A. Gray 399 

sect. Facelioides A. Gray 385 

sect. Helichrysoides A. Gray 412 

sect. Helipteroides A, Gray 418 

sect. Pteropogonopsis A. Gray 419 

australis Nees 398 

corymbosus A. Gray 401 

demissus A. Gray 419 

drummondii A. Gray 398 

humboldtianus (Gaudich.) F. Muell. 396


intermedius F. Muell. 398 

laevis A. Gray 402 

platyphyllus F. Muell. 399 

polycephalus A. Gray 414 

pygmaeum DC. 398 

spicatus Steetz 413 

Rhodanthe Lindley 383 

sect. Achyroclinoides (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson 399 

sect. Actinaria Paul G. Wilson 414 

sect. Anisolepis (Steetz) Paul G. Wilson 415 

sect. Citrinae Paul G. Wilson 406 

sect. Helichrysoides (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson 412 

sect. Helipteridium (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson 412 

sect. Leiochrysum (DC.) Paul G. Wilson 385 

sect. Monencyanthes (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson 384 

sect. Polyphyllum Paul G. Wilson 416 

sect. Rhodanthe 383 

sect. Synachyrum (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson 408 

anthemoides (Sprengel) Paul G. Wilson 386 

ascendens Paul G. Wilson 400 

atrosanguinea J. Drumm. ex hort. 384 

battii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 413 

charsleyae (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 413 

chlorocephala (Turcz.) Paul G. Wilson 386 

subsp. chlorocephala 387 

subsp. rosea (Hook.) Paul G.Wilson 387 

subsp. splendida (Hemsley) Paul G. Wilson 388 

citrina (Benth.) Paul G. Wilson 407 

collina Paul G. Wilson 389, 390 

condensata (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 401 

corymbiflora (Schldl.) Paul G. Wilson 391 

corymbosa (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson 401 

cremea Paul G. Wilson 391, 393 

433


diffusa (DC.) Paul G. Wilson 394 

var. diffusa 394 

var. leucactina (F. Muell.) Paul G Wilson 394 

floribunda (DC.) Paul G. Wilson 408 

forrestii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 401 

frenchii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 415 

fuscescens (Turcz.) Paul G. Wilson 394 

gossypina Paul G. Wilson 395 

haigii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 401 

heterantha (Turcz.) Paul G. Wilson 412 

humboldtiana (Gaudich.) Paul G. Wilson 396 

laevis (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson 402 

maculata J. Drumm. ex hort. 384 

manglesii Lindley 384 

var. alba Regel 384 

subvar. alba hort ex Vilm. 384 

var. maculata (J. Drumm. ex hort.) Vilm. 384 

var. maculata Hook. 384 

var. sanguinea Hook. 384 

margarethae (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 415 

maryonii (S. Moore) Paul G. Wilson 385 

microglossa (Maiden & E. Betche) Paul G. Wilson 396 

moschata (DC.) Paul G. Wilson 385 

nullarborensis Paul G. Wilson 402, 403 

oppositifolia (S. Moore) Paul G. Wilson 397 

subsp. oppositifolia 397 

subsp. ornata Paul G.. Wilson 379 

pollackii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 413 

polycephala (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson 404 

polygalifolia (DC.) Paul G. Wilson 397 

polyphylla (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 417 

propinqua (W. Fitzg.) Paul G. Wilson 398 

psammophila Paul G. Wilson 404, 405 

pygmaea (DC.) Paul G. Wilson 398


pyrethrum (Steetz) Paul G. Wilson 416 

rubella (A. Gray) Paul G. Wilson 398 

rufescens Paul G. Wilson 398 

sphaerocephala Paul G. Wilson 409 

spicata (Steetz) Paul G. Wilson 413 

sterilescens (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 409 

stricta (Lindley) Paul G. Wilson 399 

stuartiana (Sond.) Paul G. Wilson 411 

tietkensii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 406 

troedelii (F. Muell.) Paul G. Wilson 411 

uniflora (J. Black) Paul G. Wilson 385 

Roccardia Voss 383 

anthemoides (Sprengel) Voss 386 

chlorocephala (Turcz.) Voss 387 

corymbiflora (Schldl.) Voss 391 

humboldtiana (Gaudich.) Voss 396 

manglesii (Lindley) Voss 384 

f. alba Voss 384 

f. ligulosa Voss 384 

f. maculata Voss 384 

f. sanguinea Voss 384 

rosea (Hook.) Voss 387 

rubella (A. Gray) Voss 398 

Schoenia Steetz 

chlorocephala Turcz. 386 

humboldtiana (Gaudich.) Walp. 396 

Triptilodiscus Turcz. 420 

pygmaeus Turcz. 421 

Waitzia Wendl. 

brevirostris Steetz 407 

citrina (Benth.) Steetz 407 

conica B. Turner 425 

dasycarpa Turcz. 407 

paniculata (Steetz) Benth. 422 

435


steetziana Lehm. 407 

sulphurea Steetz 407 

tenella Hook. 407 

Xyridanthe Lindley 386 

stricta Lindley 399 

Name changes in Australian species of Helipterum (see also Wilson 1989a,b and 1992a,b) 

Taxa listed in Hnatiuk (1990) Taxa accepted by Wilson 

H. adpressum Chrysocephalum puteale (S. Moore) Wilson 

H. albicans Leucochrysum albicans (A.Cunn.) Wilson 

H. albicans subsp. albicans Leucochrysum albicans subsp. albicans 

H. albicans var. buffaloensis Leucochrysum albicans var. buffaloensis (Wilson) 

Wilson 

H. albicans var. incanum Leucochrysum albicans subsp. albicans var. tricolor 

(DC.) Wilson 

H. albicans subsp. alpinum Leucochrysum albicans subsp. alpinum (F. Muell.) 

Wilson 

H. albicans var. graminifolium Leucochrysum graminifolium (Wilson) Wilson 

H. anthemoides Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) anthemoides (Sprengel) 

Wilson 

H. australe Triptilodiscus pygmaeus Turcz. 

H. battii Rhodanthe (Helichrysoides) battii (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. charsleyae Rhodanthe (Helichrysoides) charsleyae (F. Muell.) 

Wilson 

H. chlorocephalum Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) chlorocephala (Turcz.) 

Wilson subsp. chlorocephala 

H. condensatum Rhodanthe (Achyroclinoides) condensata (F. Muell.) 

Wilson 

H. corymbiflorum Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) corymbiflora (Schldl.) Wilson 

H. corymbosum Rhodanthe (Achyroclinoides) corymbosa (A. Gray) Wilson 

H. cotula Hyalosperma cotula (Benth.) Wilson 

H. craspedioides Possibly referrable to Polycalymma 

H. demissum Hyalosperma demissum (A. Gray) Wilson 

H. diffusum Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) diffusa (Cunn. ex DC.) Wilson 

var. diffusa 

H. fitzgibbonii Leucochrysum fitzgibbonii (F. Muell.) Wilson


H. floribundum Rhodanthe (Synachyrum) floribunda (DC.) Wilson 

H. forrestii Rhodanthe (Achyroclinoides) forrestii (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. frenchii Rhodanthe (Actinaria) frenchii (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. fuscescens Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) fuscescens (Turcz.) Wilson 

H. gracile Erymophyllum tenellum (Turcz.) Wilson 

H. haigii Rhodanthe (Achyroclinoides) haigii (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. heteranthum Rhodanthe (Helipteridium) heterantha (Turcz.) Wilson 

H. humboldtianum Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) humboldtiana (Gaudich.) Wilson 

H. hyalospermum Hyalosperma glutinosum Steetz subsp. glutinosum 

H. involucratum Erymophyllum ramosum (A. Gray) Wilson subsp. 

involucratum (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. jessenii Hyalosperma semisterile (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. laeve Rhodanthe (Achyroclinoides) laevis (A. Gray) Wilson 

H. manglesii Rhodanthe (Rhodanthe) manglesii Lindley 

H. margarethae Rhodanthe (Actinaria) margarethae (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. maryonii Rhodanthe (Monencyanthes) maryonii (S. Moore) Wilson 

H. microglossum Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) microglossa (Maiden & Betche) 

Wilson 

H. molle Leucochrysum molle (Cunn. ex DC.) Wilson 

H. moschatum Rhodanthe (Monencyanthes) moschata (Cunn. ex DC.) 

Wilson 

H. niveum Distinct genus; affinities with Helichrysum obtusifolium 

Sond. 

H. oppositifolium Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) oppositifolia (S. Moore) Wilson 

H. polycephalum Rhodanthe (Achyroclinoides) polycephala (A. Gray) 

Wilson 

H. polygalifolium Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) polygalifolia (Cunn. ex DC.) 

Wilson 

H. polyphyllum Rhodanthe (Polyphyllum) polyphylla (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. praecox Hyalosperma praecox (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. propinquum Rhodanthe ((Leiochrysum) propinqua (W. Fitzg.) Wilson 

H. pterochaetum Chrysocephalum pterochaetum F. Muell. 

H. pygmaeum Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) pygmaea (DC.) Wilson 

H. pyrethrum Rhodanthe (Anisolepis) pyrethrum (Steetz) Wilson 

H. roseum Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) chlorocephala subsp. rosea 

(Hook.) Wilson 

437


H. rubellum Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) rubella (A. Gray) Wilson 

H. saxatile Distinct genus 

H. semisterile Hyalosperma semisterile (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. spicatum Rhodanthe (Helichrysoides) spicata (Steetz) Wilson 

H. splendidum Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) chlorocephala subsp. splendida 

(Hemsley) Wilson 

H. sterilescens Rhodanthe (Synachyrum) sterilescens (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. stipitatum Leucochrysum stipitatum (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. stoveae Hyalosperma stoveae (D.A. Cooke) Wilson 

H. strictum Rhodanthe (Leiochrysum) stricta (Lindley) Wilson 

H. stuartianum Rhodanthe (Synachyrum) stuartiana (Sond.) Wilson 

H. tenellum Erymophyllum tenellum (Turcz.) Wilson 

H. tietkensii Rhodanthe (Achyroclinoides) tietkensii (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. troedelii Rhodanthe (Synachyrum) troedelii (F. Muell.) Wilson 

H. uniflorum Rhodanthe (Monencyanthes) uniflora (J. Black) Wilson 

H. venustum Hyalosperma glutinosum Steetz subsp. venustum 

(S.Moore) Wilson 

H. zacchaeus Hyalosperma zacchaeus (S. Moore) Wilson

Nuytsia 8: 3 (1998) - FloraBase

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