Family: Brunoniaceae (Blue Pincushion family).
Native.
It is common and widespread, sometimes forming large colonies.
Identification:
- it blue ball-shaped clusters of flowers on an erect stalk
- the leaves are in a basal rosette
- the leaves are silky hairy and taper to the base
- it flowers in late spring.
Blue Pincushion is the only member of the Brunonia genus, which in turn is the only member of the Brunoniaceae family.
Brunonia: Latinised version of brown, named for Robert Brown, a celebrated Scottish botanist who accompanied Flinders in his exploration of the southern Australian coast; australis: southern.
Photos 1, 2: Kalimna, Castlemaine. 3: Taradale.
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