Epacris obtusifolia

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Epacris obtusifolia
Flowering Heath Elvina Track.jpg
In Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Epacris
Species:
E. obtusifolia
Binomial name
Epacris obtusifolia

Epacris obtusifolia, commonly known as blunt-leaf heath, [2] is a species of flowering plant from the heath family, Ericaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with few stems, crowded, oblong to elliptic leaves and tube-shaped white or cream-coloured flowers arranged along the stems.

Contents

Description

Epacris obtusifolia is an erect shrub, usually with few stems, that typically grows to a height of 0.5–1.5 m (1 ft 8 in – 4 ft 11 in) and has softly-hairy branchlets. The leaves are oblong to elliptic, 3.5–11 mm (0.14–0.43 in) long and 1.0–3.1 mm (0.039–0.122 in) wide on a petiole 0.5–2 mm (0.020–0.079 in) long, the base wedge-shaped and the tip blunt. The flowers are arranged along up to 150 mm (5.9 in) of the stems, on a peduncle up to 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long. The sepals are 3.9–7 mm (0.15–0.28 in) long, the petals white or cream-coloured, and joined at the base to form a cylindrical or bell-shaped tube 4.8–14.2 mm (0.19–0.56 in) long with lobes 1.6–4 mm (0.063–0.157 in) long. Flowering occurs throughout the year with a peak from July to January. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy

Epacris obtusifolia was first formally described in 1804 by James Edward Smith in his Exotic Botany. [6] [7] The specific epithet (obtusifolia) means "blunt-leaved". [8]

Distribution and habitat

Blunt-leaf heath grows in swampy areas and heathland in eastern Australia. It occurs along the coast and nearby tablelands of south-eastern Queensland and eastern New South Wales, southern Victoria and Tasmania. [2] [3] [9]

Ecology

In the Sydney region, E. obtusifolia is associated with such plants as coral fern ( Gleichenia dicarpa ), swamp banksia ( Banksia robur ), and the sedge Lepidosperma limicola . Plants live between ten and twenty years, and are killed by fire and regenerate from seed which lies dormant in the soil. The seedlings reach flowering age within four years. [10]

Use in horticulture

Epacris obtusifolia can be propagated by cutting and requires a well-drained yet moist position in the garden. [8] It was first cultivated in the United Kingdom in 1804. [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>Banksia oblongifolia</i> Species of plant

Banksia oblongifolia, commonly known as the fern-leaved, dwarf or rusty banksia, is a species in the plant genus Banksia. Found along the eastern coast of Australia from Wollongong, New South Wales in the south to Rockhampton, Queensland in the north, it generally grows in sandy soils in heath, open forest or swamp margins and wet areas. A many-stemmed shrub up to 3 m (9.8 ft) high, it has leathery serrated leaves and rusty-coloured new growth. The yellow flower spikes, known as inflorescences, most commonly appear in autumn and early winter. Up to 80 follicles, or seed pods, develop on the spikes after flowering. Banksia oblongifolia resprouts from its woody lignotuber after bushfires, and the seed pods open and release seed when burnt, the seed germinating and growing on burnt ground. Some plants grow between fires from seed shed spontaneously.

<i>Banksia oreophila</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to the south-west of Western Australia

Banksia oreophila, commonly known as the western mountain banksia or mountain banksia, is a species of shrub that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has glabrous stems, wedge-shaped or narrow egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, cylindrical spikes of pale pink to mauve flowers and later, up to twenty follicles in each spike, surrounded by the remains of the flowers. It occurs on slopes and hilltops in the Stirling and Barren Ranges.

<i>Epacris pulchella</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris pulchella, commonly known as wallum heath or coral heath is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a slender, erect shrub with egg-shaped, pointed leaves and white or pinkish, tube-shaped flowers.

<i>Leucopogon juniperinus</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon juniperinus, commonly known as prickly beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect, densely-branched shrub with oblong to more or less egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and white, tube-shaped flowers arranged singly in upper leaf axils.

<i>Persoonia hirsuta</i> Species of flowering plant

Persoonia hirsuta, commonly known as the hairy geebung or hairy persoonia, is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is a hairy, spreading to low-lying shrub with linear, lance-shaped or spatula-shaped leaves and yellow or orange flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to ten on a rachis up to 20 mm (0.79 in) long.

<i>Grevillea phylicoides</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to Western Australia

Grevillea phylicoides, commonly known as grey spider flower is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is a shrub with more or less elliptic to oblong or lance-shaped leaves and woolly-hairy grey flowers.

<i>Leucopogon amplexicaulis</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon amplexicaulis, commonly known as beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is a scrambling or straggly shrub with egg-shaped, stem-clasping leaves with hairy edges, and spikes of small white flowers.

<i>Epacris reclinata</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris reclinata, commonly known as fuchsia heath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is a low-lying to spreading shrub with egg-shaped leaves and pink to red, tube-shaped flowers, sometimes with lighter tips.

<i>Daviesia mimosoides</i> Species of plant

Daviesia mimosoides, commonly known as blunt-leaf bitter-pea, narrow-leaf bitter pea or leafy bitter-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern continental Australia. It is an open shrub with tapering, linear, elliptic or egg-shaped phyllodes, and groups of orange-yellow and dark brownish-red to maroon flowers.

<i>Epacris petrophila</i> Species of plant

Epacris petrophila, commonly known as snow heath, is a species of flowering plant from the heath family, Ericaceae, and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an erect, bushy, sometimes low-lying shrub with egg-shaped to elliptic leaves and tube-shaped white flowers in small clusters on the ends of branches.

<i>Epacris muelleri</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris muelleri, commonly known as Mueller's heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is an erect, or weak straggling shrub with more or less glabrous branchlets, elliptic leaves and white or cream-coloured, tube-shaped flowers.

<i>Epacris crassifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

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.

<i>Epacris celata</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris celata is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a spreading to erect shrub with flat, elliptic to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and tube-shaped white flowers clustered in upper leaf axils.

<i>Epacris coriacea</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris coriacea is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a eastern New South Wales. It is a slender, erect shrub with hairy branchlets, egg-shaped to more or less diamond-shaped leaves and tube-shaped, white or cream-coloured flowers.

<i>Styphelia appressa</i> Species of shrub

Styphelia appressa is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern New South Wales. It is a small, spreading to erect shrub with wiry stems, lance-shaped or narrowly egg-shaped to elliptic leaves and small white flowers.

<i>Epacris paludosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris paludosa, commonly known as swamp heath, is a species of flowering plant from the heath family, Ericaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect, bushy shrub with lance-shaped, elliptic or egg-shaped leaves and tube-shaped white or cream-coloured flowers in crowded, leafy heads at the ends of branches.

Epacris pinoidea is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a small area of eastern New South Wales. It is an erect to semi-erect shrub with flat, oblong to elliptic or lance-shaped leaves and white, tube-shaped flowers.

<i>Sprengelia sprengelioides</i> Species of plant

Sprengelia sprengelioides is a species of flowering plant of the family Ericaceae, and is endemic to near-coastal areas of eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with egg-shaped leaves, and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Epacris purpurascens</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris purpurascens is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with egg-shaped or heart-shaped, sharply-pointed leaves and white or pink, tube-shaped flowers.

Epacris rigida is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is an erect, bushy shrub with elliptic leaves and white or cream-coloured, tube-shaped flowers.

References

  1. ↑ "Epacris obtusifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Albrecht, David E.; Stajsic, Val. "Epacris obtusifolia". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  3. 1 2 Powell, JocelynM. "Epacris obtusifolia". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  4. ↑ Robinson, Les (1991). Field Guide to the Native Plants of the Sydney Region. Kenthurst, N.S.W.: Kangaroo Press P/L. p. 107. ISBN   0864171927.
  5. ↑ Fairley, Alan; Moore, Philip (1989). Native Plants of the Sydney district - An identification guide. Kenthurst, N.S.W.: Kangaroo Press. p. 93. ISBN   0864172613.
  6. ↑ "Epacris obtusifolia". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  7. ↑ Smith, James Edward (1804). Exotic Botany. Vol. 1. London: James Sowerby. p. 77. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Epacris obtusifolia". Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  9. ↑ Jordan, Greg. "Epacris obtusifolia". University of Tasmania. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  10. ↑ Benson, Doug; MacDougall, Lyn (1995). "Ecology of Sydney plant species Part 3: Dicotyledon families Cabombaceae to Eupomatiaceae". Cunninghamia. 4 (2): 362. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  11. ↑ Elliott, W. Roger; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor L. (1984). Encyclopaedia of Australian plants suitable for cultivation. Vol. 3. Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. p. 416. ISBN   0850911672.
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