Wollastonia biflora Dc.

Usually scandent subshrub (0.8–) 1.0–3.0 m high; stems decumbent or scrambling, not rooting at nodes, ± glabrous. Leaves with petiole 25–35 (–70) mm long; lamina ovate, 6–11 (–24) cm long, 3–6 (–12) cm wide, rounded to truncate at base, entire to very shortly or coarsely serrate, usually attenuate, dark glossy green; both surfaces sparsely appressed-pubescent with fine hairs. Capitula 1–3, 1.5–3.0 cm diam., on peduncles 1.5–3.0 cm long. Involucral bracts 3.5–4.5 mm long, appressed-pilose; paleae oblanceolate to subspathulate, 5 mm long, 2 mm wide, very shortly apiculate, stramineous, membranous, striate and glabrous below, green apically. Ray florets 8–12; ligule 3-lobed, yellow. Disc florets c. 20–35; corolla yellow. Achenes obovoid, 3-or 4-angled, 3.5–4.5 mm long, 2.0–2.7 mm wide, grey black (white when immature), corky, apically truncate and shortly pilose, otherwise glabrous, with usually 1 erect antrorsely barbed fragile awn c. 2 mm long, or awn absent.

Typically a sprawling shrub with long arcuate stems, on beaches just above high water mark, or scrambling over other shrubs, on a range of soils from sand to laterite, sometimes associated with mangroves. In Papua New Guinea and Indonesia sometimes found in inland sites in disturbed forest to 1400 m alt. (Orchard 2015: 523). On Christmas Island occurs directly behind the sea cliffs among low shrubs, especially Scaevola taccada thickets which often form the first zone of shrubby vegetation. On Cocos (Keeling) Islands grows in strand communities in coralline sand. (Du Puy et al. 1993: 419).

The fragrant leaves are used to flavour food in earth ovens on Dauan Island and the wood has been used for spears at Mapoon. Used medicinally in the Pacific (see Coyne 2011: 153). The leaves have a diuretic action and in Malesia are used as a poultice for skin diseases, ulcers and wounds (Du Puy et al. 1993: 419). "Wollastonia biflora" (?misapplied to W. uniflora) is illustrated on a Norfolk Island postage stamp in a series of stamps featuring Phillip Island flowers issued in 2002.

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings.