Flannel Flower - Actinotus

Actinotus represents a small genus of nearly 20 species mainly found in Australia with 2 - 3 growing in New Zealand. Actinotus helianthi is the one among the famous genera members, which has been cultivated for a lot of years. 

Its common name is Flannel flower or Sydney flannel flower as it is a spring delight to behold in Sydney, Australia bush land. 

It is an herbaceous shrub that attains the height up to 1,5 m in the best growth conditions; however it is usually less than 1 m tall. It produces grey, velvet-like foliage with deep lobes.

Flannel flower bears small blooms; they are borne in clusters with velvety bracts that surround them.  The bracts come from cream to white. The overall shape of each blossom head resembles a daisy, though it has not relation to it.

The Flannel Flower represents the emblem of the Tasmanian Mental Health Council being worn as a brooch on the Left Coat Lapel.