Scaevola crassifolia, commonly known as thick-leaved fan-flower, or cushion fanflower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae, and is native to coastal areas of Western Australia and South Australia. It is an erect, low-lying or spreading shrub with egg-shaped to round, mostly toothed leaves, spikes of white, blue or pale purple flowers and spherical fruit.
Description Scaevola crassifolia is an erect, low-lying or spreading shrub that typically grows up to high and wide, apparently glabrous and sticky when young. Its leaves are egg-shaped to round, mostly toothed, long and wide. The flowers are borne in spikes long with leafy bracts at the base, on the ends of branches, the bracteoles linear to triangular and up to long. The sepals are fused, forming a tube long and the petals are white, blue or pale purple, long, glabrous or with short hairs on the outside, bearded inside with wings long. Flowering occurs from August to January, and the fruit is spherical, up to long and rough with three to five swollen ribs and usually glabrous.
Scaevola nitida is closely similar to S. crassifolia but is a larger shrub with thinner leaves.Barrett, Russell and Eng Pin Tay (2005) Perth Plants, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Perth Western Australia
Taxonomy Scaevola crassifolia was first formally described in 1805 by Jacques Labillardière in his Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen. The specific epithet (crassifolia) means 'thick-leaved'.
Distribution and habitat Thick-leaved fan-flower grows in sand on coastal dunes, plains and limestone cliffs from near Carnarvon in Western Australia to near Robe in South Australia.
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