About Conospermum ellipticum Sm.
Conospermum ellipticum Sm. is an erect shrub that typically grows 50 to 80 centimeters (20 to 31 inches) tall. It has wand-like branches that are sometimes covered in woolly hairs. Its leaves range from erect to spreading, and are elliptic to egg-shaped with the narrower end at the base. Each leaf is 5 to 25 millimeters (0.20 to 0.98 inches) long, 3 to 8 millimeters (0.12 to 0.31 inches) wide, and ends in a tapering tip. The flowers are arranged in panicles, growing from a white, hairy peduncle 15 to 26 millimeters (0.59 to 1.02 inches) long. The panicles have bracteoles that are 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) long and 2.5 to 3.0 millimeters (0.098 to 0.118 inches) wide. The perianth is densely covered with soft white hairs, and is joined at the base to form a tube 3.5 to 4.0 millimeters (0.14 to 0.16 inches) long. The upper lobe is egg-shaped and sac-like, densely covered in soft white hairs, 1.5 to 2.1 millimeters (0.059 to 0.083 inches) long, and 1.5 to 1.75 millimeters wide. The lower lip is joined along 1.0 to 1.25 millimeters (0.039 to 0.049 inches) of its length, and has lobes 1.25 to 1.75 millimeters (0.049 to 0.069 inches) long and 0.5 to 0.75 millimeters (0.020 to 0.030 inches) wide. Flowering occurs in spring, and the fruit is a nut 2 to 3 millimeters (0.079 to 0.118 inches) long, covered with golden hairs. This species grows in wet heath on shallow sandy soil over sandstone. It occurs mainly in coastal areas between Broken Bay and Jervis Bay.
