Cottony Bluebush

Maireana carnosa is an erect to spreading or prostrate perennial herb or subshrub that typically grows to a height of 30 cm (12 in) and has a woody base. Its leaves are narrowly to broadly oblong or broadly elliptic to lance-shaped, 4–12 mm (0.16–0.47 in) long, 1.5–3.5 mm (0.059–0.138 in) wide and usually covered with silky to woolly hairs. The flowers are bisexual and usually arranged singly in leafy spikes covered with woolly tufts. The fruiting perianth is sessile, 8 mm (0.31 in) covered with wool, the tube crust-like, hemispherical and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) in diameter with a circular wing about 0.5 mm (0.020 in) wide with a radial slit.

Cottony bluebush is found in south-eastern Queensland, northern South Australia, the Northern Territory and most of Western Australia, apart from the south-west.

== References ==