Common name: Carpet Heath
Pentachondra pumila (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) R.Br. APNI* 
Description: Prostrate shrub forming mats to c. 40 cm diam.; branches pubescent or occasionally ± glabrous.
Leaves crowded, oblong to elliptic, 3–5 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, margins ciliate, lamina glabrous, ± shining, leathery, bluntly keeled, concave to convex or flat , lower surface 5–7-veined; petiole c. 0.5 mm long.
Flowers solitary, ± sessile, near end of branches, red or white; bracteoles shorter than sepals. Sepals c. 2 mm long. Corolla tube cylindrical, c. 4 mm long, outer surface glabrous; lobes c. 2 mm long, inner surface bearded.
Fruit globose or ± flattened, 6–8 mm diam., red; stone separating into distinct pyrenes, style persistent.
Flowering: December–March
Distribution and occurrence: Grows above treeline in heath, tall alpine herbfields, sod-tussock grassland and Epacris-Chionohebe feldmark in Kosciusko area.
NSW subdivisions: ST
Other Australian states: Vic. Tas.
Text by B. Wiecek
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
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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