Leafy Sea-heath

Family: Sea-heath (Frankeniaceae)

Scientific Name:

Frankenia foliosa

Stand of bluish coloured Leafy Sea-heath above samphire (Halosarcia sp.) salt flats
Photo: A J Brown

Status:

Native to New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.

Plant Description:

Shrub about 25 cm but sometimes to 60 cm high with erect to spreading stems covered in very short, soft hairs and scales. Leaves clustered in approximate whorls along the stems but spreading widely and more or less covered in white salt encrustations. Leaves without stalks, linear to oblong, slightly tapering towards the base, 3-7 mm long and 1-1.5 mm wide, margins tightly recurved but showing the midrib on the softly hairy underside.

Flowers solitary or in small clusters. Petals 7-9 mm long and pink. Fruit a capsule containing 10-15 deeply wrinkled seeds.

Habitat:

Far north-west Victorian Mallee, often near or on salt lakes.

Region	Salinity Class	Waterlogging Class
Mallee	S2, S3	W1, W2

Comments:

The Sea-heaths are a large genus of plants of which at least 50 are native to Australia. Currently Victoria has five native species, including Southern Sea-heath (Frankenia paucifolia) and Small-leaf Sea-heath (Frankenia sessilis).

Bush of Leafy Sea-heath Photo: A J Brown	Leafy Sea-heath flowers Photo: A J Brown
Spent flowers of Leafy Sea-heath Photo: A J Brown	Leaves and fruit of Leafy Sea-heath Photo: A J Brown

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