Appearance
This species is a spreading to erect shrub which usually grows to between 0.3 and 3 metres in height. Leaf shape is highly variable, ranging from narrow elliptic to almost round, and anywhere from 0.5 to 4 cm long and 0.2–1.8 cm wide. The green flower heads, known as inflorescences, appear predominantly from late autumn to mid spring . Each is composed of 6 to 18 individual flowers and measures 2.5–5.5 cm long overall. They can produce large amounts of nectar. The 0.8–1.7 cm long perianth is pale- or yellow-green and covered with fine hair, while the 1.8–2.8 cm long style is a red or maroon colour and tipped with a green pollen-presenter. The perianth darkens with age.Several different forms have been described, though none have been given taxonomic status or rank, and further work and review of the species complex is required.
The 'typical form' is found from the Lower Blue Mountains north to Singleton. It is a single-stemmed shrub with ovate leaves that end with a marked tapering apex. Forms around the Hunter River have narrower leaves. It lacks a lignotuber and regenerates after fire by seed.
The 'Cumberland Plain form' grows on heavier Cumberland Plain soils in Sydney's northwest around Richmond and Blacktown. It is a shrub to 30 cm high with small round leaves and sessile flower heads. It has a lignotuber, from which it resprouts after fire.
The 'large-leaved form' is found from Botany Bay and the Georges River south to Mittagong. It has large elliptic leaves to 2 cm wide that are convex, which are papery to leathery in texture. The flowers are relatively larger than other forms and markedly hairy.
The distinctive 'Picton form' has narrow elliptic leaves and smaller flower heads. This form resembles ''G. kedumbrensis'' and may be reclassified as a different taxon with future study.
Distribution
''Grevillea mucronulata'' is found in the upper Hunter Region around Singleton, the Sydney region west to Rylstone and Denman, and southward along the coast towards Eden where it is found in isolated pockets. The average yearly rainfall is 600 to 1200 mm , and the range is from sea level to 800 m altitude. It grows on nutrient-poor soils ranging from sandy to clayey, based on sandstone to shale or rarely granite.The species occurs in dry sclerophyll forest under such trees as Sydney red gum , blue leaved stringybark , Sydney peppermint , red bloodwood , New South Wales Christmas bush , or in more open woodland under Sydney red gum, scribbly gum , rough-budded calgaroo or small-leaved apple .
Habitat
''Grevillea mucronulata'' is found in the upper Hunter Region around Singleton, the Sydney region west to Rylstone and Denman, and southward along the coast towards Eden where it is found in isolated pockets. The average yearly rainfall is 600 to 1200 mm , and the range is from sea level to 800 m altitude. It grows on nutrient-poor soils ranging from sandy to clayey, based on sandstone to shale or rarely granite.The species occurs in dry sclerophyll forest under such trees as Sydney red gum , blue leaved stringybark , Sydney peppermint , red bloodwood , New South Wales Christmas bush , or in more open woodland under Sydney red gum, scribbly gum , rough-budded calgaroo or small-leaved apple .The flower heads appear to be adapted for bird pollination, as the pollen-holding flower tips are some distance from the petals. Honeyeaters such as the eastern spinebill and the New Holland honeyeater forage among the flowers in the early morning and late afternoon, while honeybees visit later in the morning and earlier in the afternoon. They do not appear to be effective pollinators.
Cultural
A 50c Australian postage stamp depicting the green spider flower was issued in February 2007.References:
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