Grevillea buxifolia

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Grey spider flower (Grevillea buxifolia)

Grevillea buxifolia, or grey spider flower, is a flowering plant in the protea family and is found only in New South Wales, Australia. It is an erect to spreading shrub 0.5–2 m tall. Leaves are egg-shaped to narrowly oblong, 7–35 mm long and 2–8.5 mm wide, with the edges turned down. Flowers are in clusters at the ends of branchlets and have woolly hairs that are rust-coloured to fawn and white; the pistil is 11–21 mm long. It mainly flowers from spring to autumn. The fruit is a hairy, oval follicle about 18–22 mm long.

Taxonomy: The plant was first described in 1794 as Embothrium boxifolium by James Edward Smith and renamed Grevillea buxifolia in 1810 by Robert Brown. The name buxifolia means “box-tree-leaved.” There are two accepted subspecies: G. buxifolia subsp. buxifolia and G. buxifolia subsp. ecorniculata.

Habitat and distribution: It grows in woodland or heath in NSW, from the South Coast and Central Coast to inland areas near Pigeon House Mountain west of Ulladulla. Subspecies ecorniculata is found between Putty, Gospers Mountain and Wollombi, northwest of Sydney.

Conservation: It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. The species is locally common and its population is likely stable, with its range partly in protected areas. No major threats are known, though increased fire frequency could be a risk.