About Maireana erioclada (Benth.) P.G.Wilson
Maireana erioclada (Benth.) P.G.Wilson is a perennial, bushy, glaucous shrub that usually grows up to 60 cm (24 inches) tall. Its leaves range from narrowly oval (with the narrower end at the base) to club-shaped, growing up to 10 mm (0.39 inches) long. They are glabrous and have a rounded tip. The bisexual flowers of this species are arranged individually in leaf axils. The fruiting perianth is bright red or pink when young, maturing to dull brown. It has a narrowly funnel-shaped tube with 5 vertical wings fused to a horizontal wing, and measures 12 mm (0.47 inches) in diameter. Fruiting perianths develop between August and November. This species is native to Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. It grows in red-brown soils and sandy loams, found on flat ground or in saline depressions. In Victoria, it occurs in the far north-west of the state, within mallee communities, and extends to the edges of salt pans. It has been recorded invading disturbed roadside areas.
