Pigmy Sunray

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©Rhodanthe pygmaea Russell Best CC2.5, Rhodanthe pygmaea Richard Hartland CC-BY

Rhodanthe pygmaea

Erect woolly annual to 8 cm tall, with thin alternate leaves to 20 mm long with clusters of tiny inconspicuous whitish flowers.

Details
Flora Type	Herbs
Former Scientific Name	Helipterum pygmaea
Distinctive Features	Branches only slightly cottony. Leaves almost thread-like.
Biology	Annual. Wide range of dry habitats, most abundant on heavy soils in open seasonally wet areas, especially where the soils have hard surfaces where water pools for a time.
Native Status	Native
Flowering Time	Aug-Oct

Taxonomy
Phylum	Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Flowering Plants)
Order	Asterales
Family	Asteraceae
Genus	Rhodanthe
Species	pygmaea

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Interesting Facts
Similar Species	Helipterum are now recognised as African and Eurasian plants and Australian members have been reclassified into a number of groups including Rhodanthe.
Native Status	Native