Wilkesia hobdyi is an upright (erect), prostrate, or decumbent perennial shrub growing up to 0.7 meters tall and freely branches from near the base. The leaves are arranged in whorls of usually 7-9 and are narrowly sword-shaped, measuring 10-20 cm long and 0.4-0.9 cm wide. They typically have 13-35 nerves, are minutely glandular, and slightly viscid. Both surfaces of the leaves are otherwise glabrous, with margins that are ascending, white, hispid to villous. The leaves are basally connate, forming a viscid-glandular, closely sheathing cylinder 1-2.5 cm long. The flower heads, usually 20-65 in number, are arranged in about 4-9 verticils, each with 7-9 peduncles, in elongate, lax inflorescences that are typically 20-45 cm long and 10-30 cm in diameter. The peduncles are dingy, capitate glandular villous, and have hairs that are over 1.5 mm long. The lower peduncles are sometimes branched. The receptacle is rounded, and the false involucre consists of usually 10-25 bracts that are 7-12 mm long. Each head contains about 40-200 florets with cream-colored corollas 4-6 mm long and distal lobes about 0.5-0.7 mm long. The pappus comprises 6-10 rigid, lanceolate scales 1-2.5 mm long. The fruit is a simple, dry achene (cypsela) that measures 4.5-7 mm long. It occurs on coastal dry cliffs or arid ridges between 152 – 457 meters.
Bean-shaped (Reniform): Resembling the shape of a kidney or bean.
Square or Oblong: Angular shape with all sides more or less equal or longer than wide.
Triangular: Three-sided shape, broadest below the middle.
Elliptic: Rounded at both ends. shaped like an ellipse or oval.
Ovate or Obovate: egg-shaped, broader at one end.
Linear: Extremely long and narrow, with sides usually parallel.
Round: Appears circular, with length and width roughly the same.
Cardioid (Heart-Shaped): One edge has a prominent double curve into two lobes.
Cylindrical: A cylinder with parallel sides and a circular cross-section.
Discoid: Resembling a disc or plate with two relatively flat surfaces.
Fusiform: Spindle-shaped, tapering at both ends.
Globose: Spherical.
Lenticular: Resembling a lens with two convex surfaces.
Ovoid: Egg-shaped.
Plano-convex: Having a flat ventral (planar) surface and a curved dorsal (convex) surface.
Polygonal: Having more than three flat faces meeting at angles.
Sectoroid: Resembling a segment of an orange with two relatively flat faces and one curved face.
Subglobose/ellipsoid: Inflated shape but less than spherical.
Trigonous: Having three faces that meet at a distinct angle; triangular in cross-section.
Endangered species (E) are species that are so rare they’re in danger of becoming extinct.
Threatened species (T) are species that are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
Species of Concern (SOC) are species about which there are some concerns regarding status and threats, but insufficient information is available to list the species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Plant Extinction Prevention (PEP) is a state status for rare plants that focuses its efforts on species that have fewer than 50 remaining wild individuals.
Orthodox seeds (desiccation-tolerant): can be dried to an internal seed moisture of less than 12% water and stored at freezing temperatures.
Intermediate seeds (temperature-sensitive) tend to age faster than orthodox seeds and may have only a 5-year lifespan when stored at -20°C. They are recommended for storage at 5°C.
Recalcitrant seeds (desiccation-sensitive): cannot be stored in a conventional freezer as they cannot survive after drying and/or freezing at -20°C. They are recommended for cryopreservation storage.