''Grevillea australis'', commonly known as alpine grevillea or southern grevillea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to south-eastern Australia. It is a spreading to prostrate shrub with

simple Simple or SIMPLE may refer to: *Simplicity, the state or quality of being simple Arts and entertainment * ''Simple'' (album), by Andy Yorke, 2008, and its title track * "Simple" (Florida Georgia Line song), 2018 * "Simple", a song by Johnn ...

, narrowly egg-shaped leaves and groups of white to pale pink flowers with a

glabrous Glabrousness (from the Latin '' glaber'' meaning "bald", "hairless", "shaved", "smooth") is the technical term for a lack of hair, down, setae, trichomes or other such covering. A glabrous surface may be a natural characteristic of all or part of ...

ovary.

Description

''Grevillea australis'' is a densely-foliaged, erect to spreading or prostrate shrub that grows to a height of . Its leaves are simple, narrowly egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base or linear, long and wide with the edges turned down or rolled under. The flowers are arranged in groups near the ends of braches along a

rachis In biology, a rachis (from the grc, ῥάχις [], "backbone, spine") is a main axis or "shaft". In zoology and microbiology In vertebrates, ''rachis'' can refer to the series of articulated vertebrae, which encase the spinal cord. In this c ...

long, and are white or pale pink. The pistil is long and cream-coloured, the

style Style is a manner of doing or presenting things and may refer to: * Architectural style, the features that make a building or structure historically identifiable * Design, the process of creating something * Fashion, a prevailing mode of clothing ...

is hooked near the tip, the ovary stalked and glabrous. Flowering mostly occurs from December to February and the fruit is a glabrous follicle.

Taxonomy

''Grevillea australis'' was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in ''

Transactions of the Linnean Society of London The Linnean Society of London is a learned society dedicated to the study and dissemination of information concerning natural history, evolution, and taxonomy. It possesses several important biological specimen, manuscript and literature col ...

''. The specific epithet (''australis'') means "southern".

Distribution and habitat

Alpine grevillea grows heath and woodland, usually in moist, rocky places in mountain and alpine areas south from the

Brindabella Range The Brindabella Range, commonly called The Brindabellas or The Brindies, is a mountain range located in Australia, on a state and territory border of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The range rises to the west of C ...

in the Australian Capital Territory, through southern New South Wales to

Mount Buller Mount Buller is primarily a resort town on the slopes of Mount Buller in the Shire of Mansfield of the Australian state of Victoria. It is located approximately northeast of Melbourne. It is popular with snowsports enthusiasts in winter due t ...

and

Mount Baw Baw Mount Baw Baw is a mountain summit on the Baw-Baw Plateau of the Great Dividing Range, located in Victoria, Australia. The name is from the Woiwurrung language spoken by Eastern Kulin people. It is of uncertain meaning, but possibly signifie ...

in Victoria. It is also common in Tasmania, especially on the Central Plateau, and is the only grevillea species in that state.

Use in horticulture

''Grevillea australis'' grows best in cool to cold climates. It grows best in sunny locations in well-drained soil.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2709136 australis Flora of New South Wales Flora of Tasmania Flora of Victoria (state) Proteales of Australia Plants described in 1810 Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773)