Substantia ferruginea, an underlying patch of deeply pigmented nerve cells that give the locus ceruleus its bluish-gray color
Menziesia ferruginea | Substantia ferruginea | Rusina ferruginea | Pimelea ferruginea | Hopea ferruginea |
As the name Banksia ferruginea had already been published in reference to the plant now known as Pimelea ferruginea, Mast and Thiele had to choose a new specific epithet; their choice, "rufa", is from the Latin rufus ("reddish"), in references to the red-brown colour of new growth and the involucral bracts.
Other understory species occurring with the rush include grouse whortleberry (Vaccinium scoparium), Sitka valerian (Valeriana sitchensis), mountain arnica (Arnica latifolia), and menziesia (Menziesia ferruginea).