Cratystylis conocephala

Blue bush daisy
Cratystylus conocephala in the mallee ecosystem
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Cratystylis
Species:	C. conocephala
Binomial name
Cratystylis conocephala (F.Muell.) S.Moore [1]
Synonyms [2]
List Aster conocephalusF.Muell. Eurybia conocephalaF.Muell. Olearia conocephala(F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Benth. Olearia conocephala var. microphyllaDiels Pluchea conocephala(F.Muell.) F.Muell. Pteronia australiensisHutch. Stera conocephala(F.Muell.) Ewart & Rees

Cratystylis conocephala commonly known as the blue bush daisy, blue bush, grey bush, and round leaved greybush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to southeast Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria. It is a densely branched, spreading shrub.The species is listed as endangered in New South Wales and critically endangered in Victoria.

Description

Cratystylis conocephala is a silver to blue-grey shrub, upright to 0.7–1.8 m (2.3–5.9 ft) high. The stems are erect, woody and densely arranged and forms a gnarled trunk. The bark is fibrous, with younger stems covered densely in short, matted, wooly hairs. Leaves are wedge-shaped to oval shaped, 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) long and have a prominent mid-vein and grey and wooly on both sides. Flowerheads are 12–15 mm long and 3–8 mm in diameter and are stalkless. Obtuse involucral bracts are 3–7 mm long, green and sparsely hairy. Florets 4–6; corollas 10-12mm long and white in colour. Flowering occurs from September to December and the fruit is an Achenes 3–4 mm long when not fully developed (abortive) and 6–7 mm when fertile. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

A map depicting where C. conocephala has been recorded

Taxonomy and naming

This species was described in 1855 by Ferdinand von Mueller and given the name Eurybia conocephala. ^[6] In 1905 Spencer Le Marchant Moore changed the name and the description was published in Journal of Botany, British and Foreign . ^{[7] [8]}

Distribution and habitat

This species is found on calcareous red soils and sandy soils in different ecosystem types. These include mallee, coastal scrub and woodland vegetation communities. Blue bush daisy proliferates in ecosystems which have not been exposed to fire for extended periods of time. It grows in the IBRA (Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia) of Coolgardie, Hampton, Mallee (Victoria), Mallee and Nullarbor. on calcerous red soils and sandy soilsin Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, New South Wales and Victoria. The species is very rare in the Southern Far Western Plains of New South Wales, and Belah Woodlands of North West Victoria. It is found to grow in mallee, coastal scrub and woodland vegetation communities.

References

1. "Cratystylis conocephala". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
2. "Cratystylis conocephala (F.Muell.) S.Moore". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 22 October 2022.
3. "Factsheet - Cratystylis conocephala". keys.lucidcentral.org. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
4. Archer, William (2014-11-06). "Esperance Wildflowers: Cratystylis conocephala – Round-leaved Greybush". Esperance Wildflowers. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
5. "Bluebush Daisy - profile | NSW Environment, Energy and Science". www.environment.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
6. "Eurybia conocephala". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
7. "Cratystylis conocephala". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
8. Le Marchant Moore, Spencer (1905). "Cratystylis conocephala". Journal of Botany, British and Foreign. 43: 138. Retrieved 8 January 2026.