''Asterolasia trymalioides'', commonly known as alpine star-bush, is a species of erect, sometimes prostrate shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has leathery, narrow elliptical to circular leaves densely covered with star-shaped hairs on the lower surface, and yellow flowers arranged singly in small groups on the ends of branchlets, the back of the petals covered with brown, star-shaped hairs.

Description

''Asterolasia trymalioides'' is a prostrate to erect shrub that typically grows to a height of . It has narrow elliptical to circular leaves that are about long with the edges turned under. The leaves are glossy green on the upper surface and covered with white to brown hairs underneath. The flowers are arranged singly or in small groups on the ends of branchlets, each flower sessile with small leaf-like

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...

s at their base. The five

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s are yellow, long, and densely covered with brown, woolly, star-shaped hairs on the back. Flowering occurs in early summer.

Taxonomy

''Asterolasia trymalioides'' was first formally described in 1854 by

Ferdinand von Mueller Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, (german: Müller; 30 June 1825 – 10 October 1896) was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist. He was appointed government botanist for the then colony of Vict ...

who published the description in '' Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Victoria'', based on plant material that he collected from the rocky summit of the

Cobberas Range The Cobberas Range, a mountain range that is part of the Great Dividing Range within the Victorian Alps, is located in north-eastern Victoria in Australia. The range is located in the Cobberas Wilderness area of the Alpine National Park. Peaks ...

Distribution and habitat

Alpine star-bush grows in alpine and subalpine grassland, heathland and snow gum (''

Eucalyptus pauciflora ''Eucalyptus pauciflora'', commonly known as snow gum, cabbage gum or white sally, is a species of tree or mallee that is native to eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped to elliptical leaves, flower buds in clusters of between sev ...

'') forest of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4810770 trymalioides Flora of the Australian Capital Territory Flora of New South Wales Flora of Victoria (state) Sapindales of Australia Plants described in 1854 Taxa named by Ferdinand von Mueller