Common Name

Silky Bluebush, Common Bluebush

Family

Chenopodiaceae

Notes

Shrub or perennial forb to 50cm tall. Leaves alternating up the stems, 0.5-1.5cm long, linear to narrow and flat, hairy, with pointed tips. Flowers small (less than 3mm across), solitary or paired, at the bases of the leaves.  Fruiting body pink to green when fresh, brown when dry, with one horizontal wing with a single slit, usually hairless, the upper body sometimes hairy.

Description and photo (page 276) and line drawing of fruiting body (Fig. 47-34 page 271) in G.M. Cunningham, WE Mulham, PL Milthorpe and J H Leigh (1981 and later printings) Plants of Western New South Wales

PlantNET description with line drawing of fruiting body:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Maireana~villosa

FloraBase photos:  http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/photo/2571