Aster Greek meaning star and lasios hairy, because of the stellate hairs covering the leaves and stems of plants in this genus, phebalioides meaning it resembles the genus Phebalium. Both genera are in the family Rutaceae which contains plants like Boronia, Correas and citrus.
Downy Starbush is one of many of the Grampians rare and threatened plants, it is listed as Vulnerable under the Federal EPBC Act, it also occurs in the western Black Range and the Little Desert. It flowers in Spring, predominantly in October, with eye catching yellow flowers. For the uninitiated, at first glance you may mistake it for a Hibbertia, but it has distinctive foliage with downy covered stems and foliage. The grey green leaves are crowded, cuneate – obcordate (with a blunt or notched tip) and make it readily identifiable without flowers. If you have a look at the hairs under magnification, they look like spikes on a cactus.
Downy Starbush seems to respond to fire, so over the next few years it will be more easily spotted both as a response to fire and before the bush becomes thicker and so harder to spot. After the 2006 fires there were some lovely patches on the walk to Briggs Bluff. In an Experiment carried out in 2004 it would appear Downy Starbush is susceptible to Cinnamon fungus which is becoming widespread in the Grampians.
For those who contribute to iNaturalist this would be a good plant to get more data points on.
Wendy Bedggood
Notes from Editor
On reviewing i-naturalist there have been 42 observations of Asterolasia phebalioides in the Grampians, 3 from just south of the Little Desert and 3 made on Kangaroo Island in the Far north western corner.
What an amazing plant. Thankyou to Wendy for sharing this information
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