[ID] Mystery injury-inducing plant

[greg27]

I rescued this guy from near a creek close to the Adelaide CBD that's about to be cleared. I have no idea what it is, I just thought it looked cool. I really hope it survives because right after pulling it out I managed to slip over, break my fall with my elbow and cut it right down to the bone requiring a night in the emergency department getting x-rays, a consult from an orthopedic surgeon and feeling pretty stoopid! Ended up being all good after a few stitches.

At first glance I would've said rosemary, but it definitely doesn't smell like rosemary. The single leaf in the photo is 2.5cm long and feels very slightly furry.

TIA!

[Kevin]

Hello Greg,

My would be Westringia.

Kevin

[melbrackstone]

Agree with Kevin...

Hope your recovery is fast!

[shibui]

Leaves of westringea should be in whorls around the stems. These look to be alternate.

Cassinia could be a possibility? There are a few species in SA and grows around Adelaide. Will be easier if/ when it flowers but flowers are in terminal pannicle so trimming may remove buds before they get a chance to grow.

[MJL]

Great story! I hope it survives so that the injury pays off. This is great stock - a future literati that no wire could ever produce. I can’t help with the species but I look forward to seeing it (and you) survive! The perils of the bonsai hunter!

[shibui]

I had a look at some westringea here today and found that they do have similar leaf arrangement to these pics so Westringea is still a good possibility.

[greg27]

Cheers all, I have a couple of different types of westringia growing in my front yard (none with leaves this thin) so, as crazy as it could be, I've been rubbing the leaves to compare the smell - none are similar to this collected one, but that might not mean anything! I'll let it settle in and hopefully put on some new growth and maybe that will reveal some more clues.

The perils of the bonsai hunter!

I wouldn't have picked bonsai as a dangerous hobby but between chainsawing bits off of stumps and trekking up 45 degree slopes in the wet to dig out an olive I'm surprised this is my first injury!

[DangerousDave]

I’m going to put another vote in for Cassinia..

[greg27]

Unfortunately we may never get an answer to this one - this guy never recovered from being transplanted and seems pretty dead. I'll hang on to it still just in case it's trying to trick me but all signs point to death. RIP "elbow plant".

Fortunately my actual elbow didn't follow the same path and has healed up nicely