Flowers. Photo: Michelle Brown, Scotia Sanctuary, NSW

Flowers. Photo: Don Wood, Scotia Sanctuary, NSW

Plant. Photo: Michelle Brown, Scotia Sanctuary, NSW

Shrub. Photo: Don Wood, Scotia Sanctuary, NSW

Common Name

Bristly Sea-heath

Family

Frankeniaceae

Notes

Shrub or bushy perennial forb to 30cm tall.  Leaves opposite each other, with membranous stipules at the base of each pair of leaves which encircle the stem.  Leaves 0.3-0.9cm long, 1-4mm wide, flat, hairy, exuding salt, flat or with the edges curved downwards.  Flowers pink, with 5 (occasionally 4) petals, solitary at the bases of the leaves or in open groups of 2-70 flowers at the bases of the leaves and the ends of the stems, each flower subtended by leaf-like bracts.  Rare Vic.

Differentiation between the species of Frankenia is based on details of the ovaries, beyond the scope of this key.

Description and photo in G.M. Cunningham, WE Mulham, PL Milthorpe and J H Leigh (1981 and later printings) Plants of Western New South Wales page 501

PlantNET description:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Frankenia~serpyllifolia