Epacris crassifolia is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. It is a low-lying shrub with elliptic to egg-shaped leaves with the lower end towards the base, and tube-shaped, white or cream-coloured flowers clustered near the ends of the branches.
| Epacris crassifolia | |
|---|---|
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| Epacris crassifolia growing on Hawkesbury sandstone at Garigal National Park. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Epacris |
| Species: | E. crassifolia
|
| Binomial name | |
| Epacris crassifolia | |
Description edit
Epacris crassifolia is a low-lying shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 20 cm (7.9 in) and has stems with prominent leaf scars. The leaves are elliptic to egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 5–13 mm (0.20–0.51 in) long and 1.5–7 mm (0.059–0.276 in) wide on a petiole 0.6–1.8 mm (0.024–0.071 in) long. The flowers are arranged in clusters near the ends of branches and are white or cream-coloured, tube-shaped and swollen near the middle, their size depending on subspecies, on a peduncle 1.5–5 mm (0.059–0.197 in) long. Flowering occurs from November to January and the fruit is a capsule 1.4–2.8 mm (0.055–0.110 in) long.[2][3]
Taxonomy edit
Epacris crassifolia was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.[4][5] The specific epithet (crassifolia) means "thick-leaved".[6]
In 1996, R.K. Crowden and Yvonne Menadue described two subspecies of E. crassifolia and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:
- Epacris crassifolia R.Br. subsp. crassifolia[7] has flowers 3.0–5.5 mm (0.12–0.22 in) in diameter, each flower on a pedicel 2.5–3.5 mm (0.098–0.138 in) long, with sepals 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long, a petal tube 5.5–7 mm (0.22–0.28 in) long and anthers about 1 mm (0.039 in) long;[8]
- Epacris crassifolia subsp. macroflora Crowden & Menadue[9] has flowers 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) in diameter, each flower on a pedicel 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long with sepals 4.0–6.5 mm (0.16–0.26 in) long, a petal tube 10–25 mm (0.39–0.98 in) long and anthers about 2 mm (0.079 in) long.[10]
Distribution and habitat edit
This epacris grows on sandstone rock ledges and in rock crevices on the Central and South Coasts of New South Wales and inland as far as the Blue Mountains.
References edit
- ^ "Epacris crassifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ Powell, Jocelyn M. "Epacris crassifolia". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ Robinson, Les (1991). Field guide to the native plants of Sydney. Kenthurst, NSW: Kangaroo Press. p. 106. ISBN 0864171927.
- ^ "Epacris crassifolia". APNI. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae. London: Typis R Taylor, veneunt apud J. Johnson. pp. 551–552. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 172. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ "Epacris crassifolia subsp. crassifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "Epacris crassifolia subsp. crassifolia". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "Epacris crassifolia subsp. macroflora". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "Epacris crassifolia subsp. macroflora". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 9 May 2022.