Pimelea cracens

Pimelea cracens is an erect, spindly shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.4–1.5 m (1 ft 4 in – 4 ft 11 in) and is usually single-stemmed at ground level. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, narrowly elliptic to more or less egg-shaped, 6–22 mm (0.24–0.87 in) long and 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) wide on a petiole 0.3–1.3 mm (0.012–0.051 in) long. The flowers are pendulous and creamy green to pale yellow, surrounded by 3 or 4 pairs of yellowish or pale green and reddish involucral bracts 12–28 mm (0.47–1.10 in) long and 6–14 mm (0.24–0.55 in) wide, on a peduncle 1–4 mm (0.039–0.157 in) long. Each flower is on a pedicel about 1 mm (0.039 in) long, the flower tube 7.5–12 mm (0.30–0.47 in) long. The style extends beyond the flower tube by 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in). Flowering mainly occurs from July to November.[2][3]

Pimelea ciliata was first formally described in 1988 by Barbara Lynette Rye and the description was published in the journal Nuytsia.[3][4] The specific epithet (cracens) means "graceful" or "slender".[3]

In the same edition of Nuytsia, Rye described two subspecies of P. cracens, and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

• Pimelea cracens Rye subsp. cracens[5] has a hairy flower tube;[3]
• Pimelea cracens Rye subsp. glabra Rye[6] has a more or less glabrous flower tube.[3]

This pimelea grows on undulating plains, winter wet areas and roadsides between the Donnelly River, Israelite Bay and Kumarl in the Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest and Mallee bioregions of south-western Western Australia.[2][3]