hop bush

Dodonaea lanceolata is an erect, dioecious or polygamous shrub that typically grows to a height of 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in). Its leaves are simple, elliptic to lance-shaped, sometimes with the narrower end towards the base, 30–105 mm (1.2–4.1 in) long and 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) wide, sometimes more or less sessile or on a petiole up to 4.5–15 mm (0.18–0.59 in) long. The flowers are borne in panicles on the ends of branches, each flower on a pedicel 5.5–12 mm (0.22–0.47 in) long with four lance-shaped to egg-shaped sepals 1.4–2.5 mm (0.055–0.098 in) long. There are usually eight stamens and the ovary is glabrous. Flowering occurs from February to October and the fruit is three-winged capsule, 13–19 mm (0.51–0.75 in) long and 14–19 mm (0.55–0.75 in) wide, the membranous wings 4.5–5.5 mm (0.18–0.22 in) wide.

Pirrungu occurs in northern and central Australia. Variety lanceolata grows on stony ridges and near rocky watercourses in the Hamersley Range and the Kimberley regions of Western Australia, in the Northern Territory and western Queensland. Variety subsessilifolia grows in open forest and is restricted to eastern Queensland.