Common name: Thyme Pink-bells, Black-eyed Susan
Tetratheca thymifolia Sm. APNI* 
Description: Erect straggling shrub, usually 2–100 cm high; stems terete, with bristly ridges.
Leaves usually in whorls of 3–5, rarely opposite, alternate or in whorls of 6, very broad- to narrow-elliptic, rarely linear or circular, 2–20 mm long, 1–8 mm wide, ± glabrous or hairy, margins loosely revolute, recurved or rarely flat; petiole c. 1 mm long.
Flowers solitary, rarely paired; peduncles lengthening as the flower matures, 5–23 mm long, sparsely or densely covered with shining white hairs of variable length, rarely glabrous. Sepals 1.5–5 mm long. Petals 6–15 mm long, deep lilac-pink. Ovary densely hairy; ovules 4.
Fruit often irregularly beaked, cordate to cuneate or depressed-globose, 4–6 mm long; seeds 2.5–3 mm long.
Flowering: throughout year but mostly September–November
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread in heath and dry sclerophyll forest on sandy soils.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST
Other Australian states: Qld Vic.
This species hybridizes with T. rubioides.
Text by C. Gardner & L. Murray
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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