Flower and spent flower. Australian Plant Image Index, photo: Murray Fagg, Australian National Botanic Gardens, ACT

Flowering plant. Photo: Don Wood, Scotia Sanctuary, NSW

Flowering plants. Photo: Don Wood, Scotia Sanctuary, NSW

Plant with old flowers. Photo: Don Wood, Scotia Sanctuary, NSW

Common Name

Golden Everlasting, Straw Flower

Family

Asteraceae

Notes

Annual forb (occasionally perennial) to 80cm tall.  Leaves alternating up the stems, stem clasping, 1.5-10cm long, 5-20mm wide, flat, hairy, rough, with entire edges and straight or rounded tips.  Flowers yellow, rarely white, with many ‘petals’. Flower heads below the 'petals' hemispherical, borne singly or in open groups at the ends of the stems.

Description and photo (as Helichrysum bracteatum) in G.M. Cunningham, WE Mulham, PL Milthorpe and J H Leigh (1981 and later printings) Plants of Western New South Wales page 698

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