Epacris calvertiana 

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information:

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms  > Eudicots > Asterids > Ericales > Ericaceae > Epacris calvertiana

Other links:

Plant  information

Common name:               . . .  

Conservation status:   . . .

Etymology:   

•  The specific epithet (calvertiana) honours Louisa Atkinson, (under her married name of Louisa Calvert) who collected the type specimen

Flowers:                  

• The leaves are elliptical to egg-shaped 5.6–14.3 mm long and about 1.3–3 mm wide on a petiole 0.9–1.4 mm long with a tapering tip

• The flowers are arranged along leafy branches on peduncles 1–2.5 mm wide, the flowers 3–7 mm in diameter

• The five sepals are 6–10 mm long and the petals are joined to form a white tube, 10–16 mm long, sometimes pink or red, and with five lobes 3.8–5.5 mm long on the end

• The five stamens and the single style are enclosed in the petal tube

Fruit:                         

Leaves:         

• Elliptic to egg-shaped leaves with a sharp-pointed tip 

Stem & branches:  

• Has woolly-hairy branchlets

Roots:         

Habit:        

• An erect to diffuse shrub that usually grows to a height of 0.2–1.0 m

Habitat:   

• It grows on cliffs and in rocky places in forest, including rainforest, from sea level to an altitude of 1,000 m

Distribution:                  

• Endemic to NSW

• Drumstick heath mainly occurs along the coast and tablelands of NSW from Pigeon House Mountain to the Comboyne Plateau and inland as far as Berrima

Additional notes:     

• Taxonomy 

• Epacris calvertiana was first formally described in 1873 by Ferdinand von Mueller 

• The description was published in the journalFragmenta phytographiae Australiae

• Two varieties are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

  • Epacris calvertiana var. calvertiana has flowers usually 3–4 mm in diameter and white, cream-coloured or creamy green flowers

  • Epacris calvertiana var. versicolor has flowers usually 5–7 mm in diameter and pink to red flowers with white or cream-coloured lobes

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epacris_calvertiana (2023)