Darwinia, sometimes commonly known as mountain bells or simply bells, is a genus of about 70 species of evergreen shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, endemic to southeastern and southwestern Australia. The majority are native to southern Western Australia, but a few species occur in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. The genus was named in honour of Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles Darwin by Edward Rudge in 1816. Most darwinias grow to a height of between 0.2 and 3 m, and many are prostrate shrubs. Most have small, simple leaves and the flowers are often grouped together, each flower with five red, white or greenish petals and ten stamens. In many species, the flowers are surrounded by large, colourful bracts, giving rise to their common names.
Darwinia glaucophylla is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae which grows as a prostrate shrub, sometimes forming extensive mats. It has bluish green leaves and white flowers in small groups which fade to reddish pink as they age. It is only known from about fifteen sites in the Gosford area and is listed as "threatened" in New South Wales legislation.
Darwinia fascicularis is shrub in the myrtle family and is endemic to areas near Sydney. A small shrub with aromatic foliage and white flowers, turning red as they mature. Nectar feeding birds are attracted to its flowers as a food source.
Petrophile canescens, commonly known as conesticks, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with pinnately-divided leaves and oval heads of hairy, white to pale cream-coloured flowers.
Leionema phylicifolium, commonly known as alpine phebalium, is a shrub that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a small shrub with green, smooth, leathery leaves and pale yellow flowers in spring.
Darwinia briggsiae is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with linear-shaped leaves and small groups of pink and white flowers.
Prostanthera saxicola is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub with linear to elliptic leaves and white to mauve flowers arranged in leaf axils.
Leptospermum obovatum, commonly known as river teatree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has egg-shaped or lance-shaped leaves that are narrower at the base, white flowers usually arranged singly on short side shoots and fruit that remains on the plant until it dies.
Darwinia biflora is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an erect, often straggly shrub with flattened, glabrous leaves, and flowers which are arranged in pairs. The flowers are greenish in colour but each is surrounded by two purple-red bracteoles and have a long yellow-green style projecting out of the flower tube. The species only occurs in the Sydney region in a few places where shale-capped ridges intergrade with Hawkesbury sandstone.
Darwinia camptostylis is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to New South Wales and Victoria. It is small shrub with flattened, glabrous leaves and small clusters of green to yellow flowers. There are scattered populations in coastal areas where the plants grow in heath.
Darwinia procera is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in New South Wales. It is a shrub with laterally compressed leaves, so that they are thicker than wide. The flowers are reddish-purple and arranged in groups of four near the ends of the branches. Although rare in nature, this species is often grown by native plant enthusiasts.
Darwinia foetida, commonly known as Muchea bell, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small upright shrub with greenish coloured nodding flowers at the apex of the stems, that have an unpleasant odour. This is a very restricted species, known from only a couple of locations.
Darwinia terricola, commonly known as the Blackwood bell, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, low, sometimes prostrate shrub with small, linear leaves and small groups of flowers surrounded by reddish-green bracts and which usually lie on the ground.
Darwinia whicherensis, commonly known as the Abba bell, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small shrub with linear leaves and bell-shaped, flower-like inflorescences containing more than twenty flowers surrounded by bracts, the largest of which are red with green edges.
Darwinia peduncularis is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the Sydney region in New South Wales. It is a shrub with flattened leaves and purplish red flowers usually arranged in pairs.
Zieria involucrata is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a sparse, erect shrub with mostly three-part leaves and groups of up to 21 small white flowers, the groups shorter than the leaves. It mostly occurs in the lower Blue Mountains, but is also known from other areas around Sydney.
Hovea rosmarinifolia, commonly known as mountain beauty or rosemary hovea is a shrub in the family Fabaceae, native to Australia. A small shrub bearing attractive blue-purple or mauve pea flowers from August to November.
Stenanthera pinifolia, commonly known as pine heath, is a species of shrub that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has narrow, linear leaves, yellow or red tubular flowers and a small edible berry.
Leionema lachnaeoides, is a tall shrub with aromatic leaves and yellow flowers from winter to late spring. It is restricted to the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.
Leptospermum rupicola is a low-growing shrub that is endemic to New South Wales where it grows near cliffs. It has thin, rough bark, narrow lance-shaped leaves, white flowers and relatively large fruit that remain on the plant at maturity.
