Scaevola phlebopetala, commonly known as velvet fanflower, is a herb in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to Western Australia.[3]
Description
Scaevola phlebopetala is a generally prostrate herb, with stems growing to 50 cm.[4] The stems are bristly, with hairs at 90° and sometimes rough to the touch.[4] The leaves are stalkless and usually toothed with the leaf blade being from 1.2 to 10 cm long by 3 to 17 mm wide.[4] The flowers occur in racemes which are up to 30 cm long.[4] The inflorescence stalk is 2–4.5 cm long and curved. The sepals are linear, 4–14 mm long, and not joined.[4] The corolla is from 10–27 mm long, and has both short, white hairs and long, stiff, yellow hairs on the outside, and is densely bearded on the inside.[4] It is deep purple and yellow in the throat. The fruit is obovoid, striated, warty, hairy and 5–6 mm long.[4] It flowers from June to October.[4]
Distribution and habitat
It is found in southwest Western Australia growing in sandy heaths.[4]
Taxonomy
It was first named and described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1860.[1][2] The specific epithet, phlebopetala, derives from the Greek, phlebos ("vein")[5] and the Latin, petalum ("petal") to give an adjective describing the plant as having "veined petals".[6]
^ abcdefghiR.C.Carolin, R.C. (2020). "Scaevola phlebopetala". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Canberra. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
