Sorocephalus lanatus R.Br.

A low, much branched rounded shrub, or slender erect and sparsely branched, frequently sprawling or stunted, to 0-75 m tall. Stems terete, glabrous or pilose, often with an indumentum of short white incurved hairs. Leaves imbricate or widely spreading, 5-18 mm long, semi-terete, with a flattened or slightly concave upper surface, imbricate, spreading, or closely adpressed to the stem. Leaf surface glabrous or sparsely to densely covered with long spreading hairs becoming scabrous later. Inflorescence terminal globose, 1-3 cm in diam., usually single, rarely more than one inflorescence terminating a branch. Involucres usually 4 flowered, frequently 8 or 9 flowered, rarely 5, 6, or 7 flowered. Bracts and bracteoles very variable in form, lanceolate to broadly ovate, outer surface glabrous or sparsely to densely pubescent. Perianth 8-12 mm long. Perianth limbs elliptic densely lanate. Perianth claws filiform, densely lanate to villous. Perianth tube 2-3 mm long, cylindrical, puberulous to sericeous. Style filiform, 8-10 mm long. Pollen presenter ellipsoid to cylindric. Ovary ellipsoidal, 1 mm long, pubescent to glabrous. Hypogynous scales 1 mm long, subulate, yellow when fresh. Fruits cylindrical, glabrous, 5 mm long, narrowly emarginate at the base. Flowering extends over a period of six months, from early spring to late autumn, with a peak in December. The flower colour is usually white or pale pink but a form with very deep pink perianth segments is sometimes encountered.