It grows to about 16 cm,[5] and has distinctive green to yellow-green segmented branches which are flattened. The minute flowers are found within cushions at the nodes between the segments, separating into the edges as the segments grow larger.[6]
Distribution
It is found in eastern Australia from Gippsland (Victoria) to Cape York (Queensland).[6]
Ecology
It is a host plant for the butterfly, Delias nysa,[6] and can be found on some 25 or more different host species.[7][8]
Taxonomy
It was first described as Bifaria rubra by Philippe Édouard Léon Van Tieghem in 1896.[9][10] In 1897, Adolf Engler assigned it to the genus, Korthalsella, renaming it, Korthalsella rubra.[1][2] This taxonomy is accepted by the CHAH, but others[11] consider it a synonym of Korthalsella japonica f. rubra (Tiegh.) Molvray.
Australian taxonomic sources accept two subspecies, Korthalsella rubra (Tiegh.) Engl. subsp. rubra,[12][5][3] and Korthalsella rubra subsp. geijericola Barlow.[13][5]
