158 
Nuytsia Vol. 7, No.2 (1990) 
Other specimens examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Sources of the Minilya River [as 
"Minilyalya"], anno 1882, J. Forrest s.n. (NSW); Mt Augustus, J.R. Cannon 122 (PERTH); 
Williambury Trig, Minilya River, C.A. Gardner 6157 (PERTH); Mt Augustus, 24° 20’ S, 116° 51’ 
E, S.D. Hopper 3171 (K, PERTH); Mt Augustus, K.R. Newbey 1 1696 (K, NSW, PERTH); 17.5 km 
W of ’Lyons River’, Kennedy Range, K.R. Newbey 11576 (AD, DNA, PERTH); Kennedy Range, 
24° 10’ S, 1 18° 13’ E, PS. Short 2535 & NS. Lander (MEL, PERTH). 
Etymology. The specific epithet draws attention to the fact that this taxon bears a superficial 
resemblance to species of Pluchea from which it can easily be distinguished by the presence of 
distinedy radiate rather than filiform tubular marginal florets. 
Notes. The patent, simple, septate eglandular hairs and the glandular hairs found on the vegetative 
parts of plants of this species place it in Olearia section Merismotriche. 
In the handbook of Grieve & Blackall (1975) specimens of this species key to O. rudis. 
O plucheacea can be distinguished from the latter by its leaves, which are narrowly linear rather 
than ovate, obovate or elliptic and 1-5 rather than 6-40 mm wide; by its ray which comprises 5-7 
rather than 39-75 florets; by its disc, which comprises 3-5 rather than 86-241 florets; by its achene, 
which is villous rather than glabrous; and by its pappus, which lacks an outer series of short bristles. 
Although the J. Forrest specimen cited above is from F. Mueller’s herbarium, I have not 
encountered a duplicate at MEL. Further, this species is not amongst Mueller’s account of plant 
specimens collected by Forrest during his 1882 trigonometric survey of the Gascoyne region, many 
of which bear the locality "Minilyalya" (Mueller 1883). 
Acknowledgements 
I thank Mr J.J. Rainbird for research assistance and for preparing the illustrations, and 
Mr M.I.H. Brooker for providing the Latin diagnoses. 
Much vital background work towards my ongoing revision of Australian Olearia was carried 
out during my assignment as Australian Botanical Liaison Officer at the Royal Botanic Gardens, 
Kew, London, during 1984-5 and during subsequent visits to the National Herbarium of Victoria, 
Melbourne, in 1986 and 1987. This work has been further supported by Australian Biological 
Resources Study Grants in 1988 and 1989. 
References 
Anonymous (1987). "Shark Bay Region Plan." (State Planning Commission & Department of Conservation and Land 
Management: Perth.) 
Bentham, G. (1867). "Flora Australiensis.", vol. 3. (Lovell Reeve & Co.: London.) 
Burbidge, A. A. & George, A.S. (1978). The flora and fauna of Dirk Hartog Island, Western Australia. J. Roy. Soc. Western 
Australia 60:71-90. 
George, A.S. (1971). The plants seen and collected in North-Western Australia by Williatn Dampicr. W. Austral. Naturalist 
11: 173-178. 
Grieve, B.J. & Blackall, W.E. (1975). "How to Know Western Australian Wildflowers." Part IV. (University of Western 
Australia Press: Nedlands.) 
Lander, N.S. (1989). Taxonomy of Olearia sluarlii (Asteraceae: Astereae) and allied species. Nuytsia 7: 25-35. 
