Scaevola canescens
# Scaevola canescens

Scaevola canescens is a species of plant in the family Goodeniaceae. It is endemic to Western Australia where it occurs "from Shark Bay to Perth, in open forest and heath in sandy soil".

## Description

Scaevola canescens (grey scaevola) is a shrub growing up to 60 centimetres (24 in) high. It has sessile, entire, oblong to oblanceolate leaves which are 12–85 millimetres (0.47–3.35 in) long and 4–15 millimetres (0.16–0.59 in) wide and densely hairy. It flowers from March to October in axillary spikes up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long, the corolla is bearded, and white with brownish veins. The fruit is usually one-seeded.

## Distribution

It grows in the IBRA regions: Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain, and Yalgoo.

## Etymology

The specific epithet is Latin:

   canescens,-entis (part.B): canescent, “grayish-white. A term applied to hairy surfaces” (Lindley); “hoary with gray pubescence” (Fernald 1950); becoming gray, grayish; in mosses, hoary due to the collective hyaline hair points on the apices of leaves.

## Taxonomy

S. canescens was first described by George Bentham in 1837. A holotype (W0047196) was collected by von Hügel at King Georges Sound, and is kept at Naturhistorisches Museum Wien Botanische Abteilung (W). The earliest Australian record (MEL 1521288A) was collected by J.A.L. Preiss on April 15, 1839, somewhere in the vicinity of Perth.

