Maireana aphylla

Cotton bush
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Amaranthaceae
Genus:	Maireana
Species:	M. aphylla
Binomial name
	Maireana aphylla; (R.Br.) Paul G.Wilson
	Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms
	Kochia aphylla R.Br.; Kochia sedifolia; Kochia villosa var. aphylla (R.Br.) C.Moore & Betche; Salsola aphylla (R.Br.) Spreng.;

Maireana aphylla, also known as cotton bush or leafless bluebush, is a leafless (or almost leafless) shrub that is endemic to Australia. It is usually rounded in form and grows to around 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) in height.

The species occurs in all mainland states and territories apart from the Australian Capital Territory.

Description

Cotton bush is a divaricately branched shrub that grows to 0.5–2 meters high. It is a predominantly dioecious plant. The branchlets of Cotton bush striate and are almost glabrous to somewhat woolly, and often spinescent. Its leaves are small, alternate, slender and subterete. They are rarely longer than 8 millimeters and are frequently caducous.

Its flowers are usually solitary.^[1]