Bean & Mathieson, Olearia cuneifolia 
solitary, sessile. Involucres ellipsoidal at 
anthesis, 14-16 mm long, 7-9 mm diameter; 
campanulate to hemispherical at fruiting 
stage. Bracts 5-7-seriate; outer bracts 3-4 
x 1.8-2.5 mm, elliptical, with ± dense 
eglandular hairs near distal end; margins 
irregularly ciliate; inner bracts lanceolate, 
6-10 x 1.5-2 mm, inner surface glabrous, 
outer surface with eglandular hairs near 
apex; apex obtuse, margin irregularly ciliate 
near apex. Receptacle slightly to markedly 
alveolate, 3-3.8 mm diameter. Ray florets 
14-21, female; corolla tube linear, 6.2-6.9 
mm long, with small antrorse eglandular 
hairs on apical % of tube; ligule 7.5-9.5 mm 
long, white; styles exserted, recurved. Disc 
florets 28-42, bisexual; corolla tube linear, 
6.5-7.5 mm long, with antrorse eglandular 
hairs on medial section; corolla lobes 5, acute, 
0.8-1.6 mm long, glabrous except for a cluster 
of small eglandular hairs near apex; anthers 
1.2-1.4 mm long, with sterile tip 0.8-1 mm 
long, anther tails c. 0.1 mm long. Achenes 
flattened-cylindric, 4-6-ribbed, 3.8-4.2 mm 
long, densely silky-hairy throughout; pappus 
bristles barbellate, creamy-white, in two 
whorls; inner whorl 7.5-8 mm long at fruiting 
stage, the outer whorl 1-1.5 mm long. Figs. 
1-3 
Additional specimens examined : Queensland. 
Maranoa District: Lot 23, CP847082 Mitchell 
8445 - Morven 8346 [Umberill Station], Sep 2003, 
Baumgartner s.n. (BRI [AQ764458]); Nalpa Downs, 
WNW of Mitchell, Dec 2013, Mathieson MTM1599 
(BRI); Nalpa Downs, c. 40 km NW of Mitchell, Sep 
2014, Mathieson MTM1790 (AD, BRI, HO, NE, NT); 
Andromeda, Mar 2015, Mathieson MTM2000 (BRI, 
NSW); Andromeda, N of Mungallala, May 2008, Silcock 
125 (BRI); Andromeda, c. 24 km NNE of Mungallala, 
Oct 2008, WangJW0170( BRI). 
Distribution and habitat : Olearia cuneifolia 
is endemic to Queensland. The species is 
known from sites north and north-east of 
Mungallala, between Roma and Charleville. 
It occurs within the ecotone between open 
or degraded forests dominated by Acacia 
harpophylla F. M uel 1. exBenth. and Casuarina 
cristata Miq. and open sclerophyll woodland 
dominated by Eucalyptus crebra F.Muell. 
and/or E. thozetiana (Maiden) R.T.Baker. The 
soils are derived from sedimentary rocks and 
405 
consist of self-mulching cracking clays on flat 
areas or stony clays on lower slopes of low 
mesas and rises. 
Phenology : Flowers and fruits are recorded 
in March, May, September and October. 
Affinities : Olearia cuneifolia is related to 
O. muelleri, O. magniflora and O. calcarea. 
All of these species have solitary and sessile 
capitula, and the involucres are cylindrical to 
ellipsoidal at anthesis. All have small resinous 
leaves. 
Olearia cuneifolia differs from O. muelleri 
by the narrower, more cuneate-shaped leaves 
(broadly-ovate to orbicular in O. muelleri ), the 
much larger involucres, the greater number of 
disc and ray florets, the presence of hairs on 
the corolla tube and lobes of the disc florets 
(glabrous in O. muelleri ), the longer achenes 
and the pappus with two whorls of bristles 
(one whorl in O. muelleri). 
Olearia cuneifolia differs from O. 
magniflora by the leaves without teeth or 
with only two teeth (at least some leaves 
with four or more teeth in O. magniflora ), the 
shorter rays of the ray florets, the rays white 
in colour (mauve to purple in O. magniflora ), 
and the densely hairy achenes (glabrous in O. 
magniflora). 
Olearia cuneifolia is similarly in leaf 
morphology to O. calcarea , but differs from 
O. calcarea by the longer involucres, the 
greater number of ray florets, the much shorter 
rays of the ray florets, and the shorter achenes 
and pappus. O. calcarea is often regarded as a 
hybrid between O. magniflora and O. muelleri 
(Walsh & Lander 1999). O. cuneifolia is not 
considered to be a hybrid as other species of 
Olearia in the area (i O. canescens (Benth.) 
Hutch., O. elliptica DC., O. gordonii Lander, 
O. subspicata (Hook.) Benth.) are not related 
to it. 
Conservation status: Olearia cuneifolia is 
only known from three locations in a small 
area (approximately 19.5 km 2 ) to the north of 
Mungallala in south central Queensland. It has 
not been located elsewhere in the surrounding 
district despite many surveys in similar 
