Styphelia appressa

Styphelia appressa
In the Australian National Botanic Gardens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Styphelia
Species:	S. appressa
Binomial name
Styphelia appressa (R.Br.) ]]Spreng.]] [1]
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [1]
Leucopogon appressus(R.Br.)

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.

Description

Styphelia appressa is a weak, spreading to erect shrub that typically grows to a height of 30–60 cm (12–24 in) and has wiry, hairy branches. The leaves are directed upwards, pressed against the stem, narrowly egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, or elliptic, 4.1–15 mm (0.16–0.59 in) long and 1.0–2.6 mm (0.039–0.102 in) wide on a petiole 0.3–0.4 mm (0.012–0.016 in) long. The upper surface of the leaves is concave and there is a long, fine point on the tip. The flowers are white and arranged singly in leaf axils in dense heads at the ends of branches. The sepals are 1.5–2.0 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long with bracteoles about 1 mm (0.039 in) long at the base. The petal tube is 1.5–1.75 mm (0.059–0.069 in) long with hairy lobes 1.1–1.5 mm (0.043–0.059 in) long. Flowering occurs from December to February and is followed by glabrous oval to elliptic drupes about 1.6 mm (0.06 in) long. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown who gave it the name Leucopogon appressus in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae . ^{[6] [7]} In 1824, Kurt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel transferred the species to Styphelia as S. appressa in Systema Vegetabilium . ^{[1] [8]} The specific epithet (appressa) means "pressed down", referring to the leaves pressed against the stem. ^[3]

Distribution and habitat

Styphelia appressa grows in heath and shrubby forest in soils derived from sandstone on the coast and nearby tablelands of New South Wales near Sydney and in the Wollemi National Park. ^{[2] [5]}

References

1. "Styphelia appressa". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
2. Powell, Jocelyn M. "Leucopogon appressus". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
3. Robinson, Les (2003). Field guide to the native plants of Sydney (3rd (revised) ed.). East Roseville, NSW: Kangaroo Press. p. 109. ISBN   978-0-7318-1211-0.
4. Fairley, Alan; Moore, Philip (2000). Native Plants of the Sydney District:An Identification Guide (2nd ed.). Kenthurst, NSW: Kangaroo Press. p. 88. ISBN   0-7318-1031-7.
5. Benson, Doug; McDougall, Lyn (1995). "Ecology of Sydney plant species Part 3: Dicotyledon families Cabombaceae to Eupomatiaceae". Cunninghamia. 4 (2): 367. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
6. "Leucopogon appressus". APNI. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
7. Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae. London. p. 546. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
8. Sprengel, Kurt P.J. (1825). Linné, Carl; Sprengel, Anton (eds.). Systema vegetabilium. Vol. 1. Gottingen. p. 658. Retrieved 27 September 2023.