Family: Ericaceae
Epacris
Citation:
Cav., Icon. 4:25, tt. 344 & 345 (1797).
Derivation: Greek epi, on; akris, hilltop; habitat of several species.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Native heaths.
Description:
Shrubs, usually erect, rigid; older stems usually red-brown, glabrous, with finely stringy bark; leaves sessile or petiolate, scattered or imbricate, sometimes stem-clasping, flat to concave or keeled with the venation inconspicuous or striate abaxially.
Flowers solitary, axillary, on short peduncles, confined to the upper leaf axils or extending along the branches; bracts numerous, imbricate, covering the peduncle and grading in size to the calyx; sepals 5, similar in texture to the bracts; corolla tube cylindrical or campanulate, white or red, lobes 5, spreading or erect, imbricate in bud; stamens 5, filaments short, inserted in the throat of the corolla tube; anthers versatile; ovary 5-celled, with numerous ovules in each cell, placentation axile; style inserted in a depression which may reach the middle of the ovary; nectary of 5 scales, rarely joined.
Fruit a capsule opening by 5 loculicidal lines, the valves separating from the central placenta; seeds numerous.
Distribution:
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35 species, all Australian.
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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