Epacris mucronulata is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is an erect shrub with softly-hairy young branches, lance-shaped leaves, and cylindrical white flowers in small groups at the ends of the branches.
| Epacris mucronulata | |
|---|---|
| |
| In the Australian National Botanic Gardens | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Epacris |
| Species: | E. mucronulata
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| Binomial name | |
| Epacris mucronulata | |
Description
editEpacris mucronulata is an erect shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and has many branches, the young stems softly-hairy. Its leaves are lance-shaped, 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) long and 1.5–2.0 mm (0.059–0.079 in) wide on a petiole 1.0–1.2 mm (0.039–0.047 in) long. The flowers are arranged in small clusters in leaf axils near the ends of branches on a pedicel 2.0–2.3 mm (0.079–0.091 in) long with egg-shaped bracts at the base. The five sepals are lance-shaped to narrowly egg-shaped and about 4 mm (0.16 in) long. The petals are white, joined at the base to form a cylindrical tube, the style and anthers enclosed inside the petal tube.[2]
Taxonomy and naming
editEpacris mucronulata was first formally described in 1810 by Robert in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.[3][4] The specific epithet (mucronulata) means "having a small sharp point".[5]
Distribution and habitat
editThis epacris grows near rivers, especially in rainforest and is found in the south-west of Tasmania, including near the Huon and Gordon Rivers.[2][6]
References
edit- ^ "Epacris mucronulata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ a b Crowden, Ronald K. (2003). "Reinstatement of Epacris franklinii Hook.f. (Epacridaceae)". Muelleria. 18: 72. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Epacris mucronulata". APNI. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae. London. p. 552. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 256. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ Jordan, Greg. "Epacris mucronulata". University of Tasmania. Retrieved 19 June 2022.