painted marianthus

Marianthus bicolor is a low, erect, spreading shrub or climber with reddish purple new stems. Its adult leaves are narrowly elliptic, 26–45 mm (1.0–1.8 in) long and 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) wide on a short petiole. The leaves are thick and both surfaces of the mature leaves are covered with a waxy bloom. The flowers are borne in branched clusters on a peduncle 15–20 mm (0.59–0.79 in) long, the sepals egg-shaped, thickened and wavy, up to 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long and yellow on the outer surface. The five petals are narrowly spatula-shaped, 10–14 mm (0.39–0.55 in) long and up to 3.5 mm (0.14 in) wide, white to cream-coloured with maroon or purple striations. Flowering mainly occurs from December to March.

Marianthus bicolor grows in mallee in valleys, on hills, flats, sandplains and roadsides, and is widespread in the south-west of Western Australia, mainly from the Darling Range to Ravensthorpe.