Olearia asterotricha

Olearia asterotricha is small sprawling shrub to 1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft) high and 1.5–2 m (4.9–6.6 ft) wide with an open habit. The branchlets are covered with densely matted woolly hairs, star-shaped hairs or a combination of both. It has white, pale mauve or blue daisy like flowers with a yellow or purplish centre. The flowers are 2–4 cm (0.79–1.6 in) in diameter and solitary or 25-40 per cluster and appear at the end of stems. Each inflorescence is on a peduncle about 50 mm (2.0 in) long. The bracts have fine short matted hairs and arranged in rows of 1-3. The dark green leaves are arranged alternately, sometimes with a very small stalk or without a stalk. The leaves are broadly-linear or oblong shaped, 0.6–2.5 cm (0.24–0.98 in) long and 0.2–0.8 cm (0.079–0.31 in) wide with rough star shaped hairs on the upper side of the leaves and stems. The underside of leaves is densely woolly, leaf margins are entire or toothed and rolled under. The fruit is cylindrical shape about 3 mm (0.12 in) long with 6-8 ribs about 3 mm (0.12 in) long. Fruit are smooth to sparsely covered with matted hairs. It contains a dry single seed that does not open on maturity.

Rough daisy bush grows from the Blue Mountains, New South Wales to western Victoria where it grows mostly in cool damp acidic soils, heath, or dry sclerophyll forest. The species may vary depending on geographic region. In the Sydney region it is a compact shrub with white flowers and grey-green foliage. The Victorian form has mauve-blue flowers, green leaves and a more open form. Considered rare in Victoria.

Olearia asterotricha subsp. asterotricha is only found at elevated sites in the Grampians National Park growing on sandy soils in heath woodlands. Olearia asterotricha subsp. glaucophylla grows north of Mittagong in New South Wales. Olearia asterotricha subsp. lobata grows in wet heathland or in moist forest usually found at lower altitudes. Also found in a few disjunct areas of southern Victoria but usually uncommon. Olearia asterotricha subsp. rotundifolia is believed to be restricted to a single population directly below the summit of Mt Langi Ghiran, Victoria. Growing in damp situations on southern slopes around granite boulders.

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