Conesticks

Appearance

''Petrophile pedunculata'' is an erect, spindly to bushy shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 2.5 m and has glabrous branchlets and leaves. The leaves are pinnate, needle-shaped but not sharply-pointed, 70–185 mm long on a petiole 25–95 mm long, with pinnae usually less than 20 mm long.

The flowers are arranged in leaf axils in oval heads 10–15 mm long on a peduncle 10–15 mm long. The flowers are about 7–10 mm long, yellow or cream-coloured with a few soft hairs. Flowering occurs from October to January and the fruit is a nut, fused with others in an oval head up to 40 mm long on a peduncle about 20 mm long.

This petrophile can be distinguished from the related ''P. pulchella'' which has flowers heads that are sessile or on peduncles up to 10 mm long.

Distribution

It is common along the coast of New South Wales between Port Jackson and Milton and on the ranges between the Blue Mountains and Marulan.

Habitat

''Petrophile pedunculata'' is found growing on shallow sandstone soils, often in open forest or heathlands.