Epacris serpyllifolia

Epacris serpyllifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Epacris
Species:	E. serpyllifolia
Binomial name
Epacris serpyllifolia R.Br. [1]
Synonyms [1]
Epacris serpyllifoliaR.Br. var. serpyllifolia

Near the summit of Mount Wellington

Epacris serpyllifolia is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a small low-lying or weakly erect shrub with heart-shaped to broadly egg-shaped leaves and tube-shaped white flowers crowded in upper leaf axils.

Description

Epacris serpyllifolia is a prostrate, low-lying or weakly erect, sometimes bushy shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 30 cm (12 in). Its leaves are egg-shaped, 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) long, sometimes with a short point on the end. The flowers are borne in leaf axils near the ends of branches with often coloured sepals about 3 mm (0.12 in) long. The petal tube is slightly longer than the sepals and the petal lobes are shorter than the petal tube, and the anthers sometimes slightly longer than the petal tube. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Taxonomy

Epacris serpyllifolia was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae . ^{[5] [6]} The specific epithet (serpyllifolia) means "wild thyme-leaved". ^[7]

Distribution

This epacris is endemic to Tasmania where it is widespread and abundant in alpine and subalpine areas. ^[8]

References

1. "Epacris serpyllifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
2. Bentham, George; von Mueller, Ferdinand (1868). Flora Australiensis. Vol. 4. London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 240. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
3. Rodway, Leonard (1903). The Tasmanian Flora. Hobart: Tasmanian Government Printer. p. 121. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
4. "Epacris serpyllifolia". Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). Retrieved 25 January 2026.
5. "Epacris serpyllifolia". APNI. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
6. Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae. London. p. 551. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
7. Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 306. ISBN   9780958034180.
8. Jordan, Greg. "Epacris serpyllifolia". University of Tasmania. Retrieved 14 July 2022.