snowy daisy-bush

Olearia lirata is a shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 4 m (13 ft) and has greyish branchlets. Its leaves are arranged alternately along the branchlets, lance-shaped, 30–150 mm (1.2–5.9 in) long, 5–25 mm (0.20–0.98 in) wide and petiolate, the edges of the leaves sometimes wavy or toothed. The heads or daisy-like "flowers" are arranged in loose groups on the ends of branches on a peduncle 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) long and are 12–25 mm (0.47–0.98 in) in diameter. Each head has three to four rows of bracts forming a hemispherical involucre 3.5–4.5 mm (0.14–0.18 in) long and ten to sixteen white ray florets, the ligule 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) long, surrounding nine to fourteen cream-coloured to yellow disc florets. Flowering occurs from August to January and the fruit is a ribbed achene 1.5–2.0 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long, the pappus 3.5–4.5 mm (0.14–0.18 in) long.

Olearia lirata grows in moist forest and scrub on the coast and tablelands of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, in eastern Victoria to as far west as the Otway Range, and is widespread and common in Tasmania.

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