Citation: R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 547 (1810).

Synonymy: Styphelia scoparia Smith, Sp. Bot. New Holl. 4:48 (1795).

Common name: Broom heath, prickly broom, prickly broom-heath.

Description:
Shrub 40-120 cm high; stems grey-brown or grey; leaves linear to elliptic, 6.6-15 mm long, 1.4-2.6 mm wide, thick, convex, acute with a 0.5-1.2 mm long aristate tip, base usually obtuse, margins often recurved, entire or serrulate towards the apex, surfaces glabrous, discolorous, dull or glaucous below, with 3-5 obscure veins, sometimes the midrib thicker towards the apex; petiole 0.5-1.3 mm long.

Flowers 2-4 plus a rudiment, in axillary spikes; recurved peduncle 1-2 mm long; bracts, bracteoles and sepals ovate-orbicular, obtuse, glabrous or with ciliolate margins; bracts 0.4-0.6 x 0.4-0.7 mm; bracteoles 0.8-1.1 x 0.7-1 mm; sepals sometimes also ovate-oblong, 1-1.6 x 0.7-1.2 mm; corolla white, tube 0.9-2.4 mm long, campanulate to saucer-shaped, glabrous, lobes broadly triangular, 0.8-1.4 mm long, thickened at the tip, sometimes papillose inside; anthers 0.8-1.4 mm long, half-exserted; ovary ovoid, 0.6-0.8 mm high, glabrous; style 0.3-0.5 mm long; nectary annular, 0.3-0.4 mm high.

fruit yellowish, ovoid to oblong, 2.8-3.1 mm high.

Published illustration: Costermans ( 1981) Native trees and shrubs of south-eastern Australia, p. 261.

Distribution:  Occurs in dry open forest, in myrtaceous scrubs and heathlands on sandy soils. S.Aust.: SE.   Qld; N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. Conservation status: native Flowering time: March — June, occasionally Aug. — Dec.; fruit: Sept. — Oct., July.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available