Flannel-flower

Actinotus helianthi, commonly called flannel flower, is a soft, woolly perennial or short-lived herb in the Apiaceae family, endemic to the sandstone heathlands and dry sclerophyll forests of eastern Australia, particularly around the Sydney region. Despite its daisy-like appearance, the plant belongs to the carrot family. It grows 30 to 90 centimetres tall with grey-green, deeply divided, hairy leaves segmented into narrow, linear lobes that emerge from a basal cluster and along the branching stems. The entire plant — stems, leaves and especially the bracts — is densely covered with soft, woolly, white-felted hairs that give a flannel-like texture and silvery appearance, providing protection from intense sunlight and dryness. The conspicuous flower heads are not single flowers but compound structures: a central dome of tiny cream florets is surrounded by 10 to 18 large, petal-like, pure white involucral bracts tipped with grey-green wool, giving the appearance of a single 5 to 8 centimetre daisy. Flowering occurs from late winter through spring.