407 
A new species of Minuria (Asteraceae: 
Astereae) from New South Wales 
P.S. Short and J.R. Hosking 
Abstract 
Short, P.SJ and Hosking, J.R. 2 PNorthern Territory Herbarium, Parks & Wildlife Commission of the 
Northern Territory, P.O. Box 496, Palmerston, NT 0831, Australia; 2 NSW Agriculture, RMB 944, 
Tamwortli, NSW 2340, Australia). A new species o/Minuria (Asteraceae: Astereae)from Nezo South Wales. 
Telopea 8(4): 407-411. Minuria scoparia, a species restricted to serpentinite-derived soils from 
northern New South Wales, is described and illustrated. It has affinities with M. cunninghamii and 
M. leptophylla but is broom-like in habit and the pappus bristles of the disc florets are not 
manifestly dimorphic. 
Introduction 
At least six species of plant are apparently endemic to the serpentinite-derived soils 
which occur between areas east of Bingara and east of Chaffey Dam, northern New 
South Wales (Hosking & James 1998). One of these, a species of Minuria, is 
described herein. 
The circumscription of Minuria is problematic and unpublished results of cladistic 
analyses (by PSS) of the Australasian Astereae indicate that, as currently delimited 
(Lander & Barry 1980), the genus is not monophyletic. The species described here 
appears to belong to Minuria s. str., its affinities seemingly being with M. leptophylla 
DC., the type species of the genus, and M. cunninghamii (DC.) Benth. 
Taxonomy 
Minuria scoparia P.S.Short & J.R.Hosking, sp. nov. 
M. cunninghamii et M. leptophyllae similis sed ab eis habitu scopulato et flosculis discis 
pappum manifeste dimorphum deficiens differt. 
Holotype: slopes of Blackfellows Knob, east of Chaffey Dam, 31°23'14"S, 151°09'02"E, 
Altitude 670 m, J.R. Hosking 1532, 23 Nov 1997 (DNA 134923). Isotypes: CANB, MEL, 
NE, NSW. 
Perennial, stiff, broom-like, sprawling to erect herb with branches to c. 60 cm long; 
major axes mainly glabrous but with whitish, somewhat curled and apically tapering, 
eglandular, uniseriate, septate hairs present, especially immediately below the 
capitula, a few short, glandular hairs also present. Leaves alternate, sessile although 
somewhat constricted and paler at base, entire, linear, (1.5-)12-28 mm long, 
(0.3-)0.5-1.2 mm wide, glabrous or with scattered glandular and eglandular hairs, 
mucronate. Capitula solitary, heterogamous, radiate. Involucre 4.5-6 mm diam., 
multiseriate. Bracts c. 30-40, lanceolate, 1-3.2 mm long, 0.2-0.4 mm wide, with the 
herbaceous stereome divided, the upper margins and apex of the bracts usually 
hyaline, mostly green but apex purple. Receptacle flat, glabrous, pitted. Ray florets 
female, 29-37, uniseriate, corolla 4.4-5 mm long, the ray 3-veined and apically 
