| Astelia
alpina (pineapple grass) is a very common alpine and
sub-alpine species (rarely reaching lower altitudes) that
grows on peat. It can form extensive rough mats. The leaves
are broad, triangular and ribbed, about 10-30 cm long, and
~2 cm wide, with a dense felty covering of white hairs on
the underside (and sometimes to a degree on the upper
surface). The flowers are small and cream and occur in a
fairly obscure inflorescence. The fruit are round, red and
fleshy.
A new species of Astelia is likely to be
described soon from plants growing in western Tasmania.
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University of Tasmania
