Cryptandra
Buds
Ellura
White Sour-bush
Whole
 
                      
Cryptandra (Cryptandra sp ES01)Class: Plants (Plantae) - Land Plants (Charophyta) - Land Plants (Equisetopsida) - Shrubs & Bushes
Order: Roses (Rosales)
Family: Buckthorn (Rhamnaceae)     iNaturalist Observation
Species: Cryptandra (Cryptandra sp ES01)
This Photo:     Flowers

Thank you Tony and Jenny Dominelli for confirming the id of this species for us

General Species Information:
Found on Ellura (in the Murray Mallee, SA) and elsewhere
A very stiff structure, reminiscent of boxthorn. Leaves are dark green and tiny, looking cylindrical. On first inspection these looked like the flowers are a compound of white balls. A closer look reveals this to be creamy white buds mixed in with tiny bell flowers. As flowers bloom, the "white balls" get a spiky appearance, due to the bell flowers 5 triangular tipped petals. Flowers die to a pretty apricot colour adding to the display.
We originally thought these were Cryptandra tomentosa. While investigating a different Cryptandra species on Bakara CP we discoved that C. tomentosa isn't supposed to have the spikes/short branchlets.
We then thought they were Cryptandra sp. Floriferous, but have since seen the key we used is not particularly accurate.
Guy Taseski kindly let us know the SA Herbarium are working on Cryptandra at the moment, so we'll wait until we can get the paper to see if we can get a more accurate id on these amazing little bushes.
Ours look very similar to Westringia rigida when walking past. You have to get close to see the difference and then it's difficult out of flowering season.

Copyright © 2012-2024 Brett & Marie Smith. All Rights Reserved. Photographed 02-Aug-2012
This species is classed as LC (Least Concern) in the Murray Mallee, SA, by DENR (Regional Species Status Assessments, July 2010)