Common name: Pink Beard-heath
Leucopogon ericoides (Sm.) R.Br. APNI* Synonyms: Styphelia ericoides Sm. APNI*
Styphelia trichocarpa Labill. APNI*
Description: Slender shrub to 0.9 m high; branchlets finely pubescent.
Leaves oblong to rarely elliptic, 4.2–15.5 mm long, 0.7–2.3 mm wide, margins recurved to revolute, entire; lamina concolorous, glabrous or finely pubescent, upper surface convex, lower surface faintly striate-veined; petiole absent.
Flowers erect, 1–11 in 4–9 mm long spikes, white to pinkish; peduncles 1–3 mm long; bracteoles 0.9–1.5 mm long. Sepals 1.4–2.1 mm long. Corolla tube 1.5–2.2 mm long, finely pubescent inside at throat; lobes 1.4–2 mm long.
Fruit often curved obovoid, 2.4–5.7 mm long, prominently ridged, sparsely hairy, flat-topped, turning brown.
Flowering: July–October
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in dry sclerophyll forest and heath on sandy soils, widespread, south from Byron Bay.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, CT, ST, NWS, CWS
Other Australian states: Vic. Tas.
Text by J. M. Powell, except for groups with contributors listed
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
ECOLOGY
Life History
Vegetative spread No.
Longevity 5--20 years.
Flowers White--pinkish, July--October, peak August--September.
Fruit/seed Succulent fruit (drupe), 5.7 mm long with prominent ridges, turning brown, September--October.
Fire response Killed, re-established from soil-stored seed (at Agnes Banks, Benson 1981). One plant flowering less than 3 years after moderate intensity September fire (at Lane Cove River, P. Kubiak pers. comm.).
Interaction with other organisms Source of nectar for bees (Clemson 1985).
Habitat
Habitat Ridges, plateaux, hillsides.
Altitude 0--1000 m
Annual rainfall 700--1600 mm
Typical local abundance Frequent--occasional.
Vegetation Woodland e.g. with Eucalyptus sclerophylla, Angophora bakeri, Eucalyptus piperita, Banksia serrata, Angophora bakeri; heath, seacliff scrub.
Substrate Deep sand and sandy clay soils from sandstone and Tertiary alluvium. Indurated beach and marine sand near shore (at Bass Point, M. Robinson pers. comm.).
Exposure Full sun.
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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