Epacris hamiltonii
In the Australian National Botanic Gardens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Epacris
Species:
E. hamiltonii
Binomial name
Epacris hamiltonii

Epacris hamiltonii is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. It is a slender, low-lying to ascending shrub with hairy branchlets, thin, flat, hairy egg-shaped leaves, and white, tube-shaped flowers arranged in small groups at the end of branches.

Description

Epacris hamiltonii is a slender, low-lying to ascending shrub with branches up to 100 cm (39 in) high, the branchlets covered with shaggy hairs. The leaves are egg-shaped, 6.7–14 mm (0.26–0.55 in) long and 2.8–6.2 mm (0.11–0.24 in) wide on a petiole 0.8–1.3 mm (0.031–0.051 in) long. The leaves are thin and flat, both sides covered with long, silky hairs. The flowers are arranged in small groups at the ends of branches and are about 7.5–10 mm (0.30–0.39 in) in diameter on a peduncle about 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The sepals are 7.2–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) long, the petal tube 7.8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) long with spreading lobes 3.6–5.8 mm (0.14–0.23 in) long. The anthers are enclosed in the petal tube but the style is longer than it. Flowering occurs from September to December and the fruit is a capsule about 2 mm (0.079 in) long, containing dust-like seeds.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy

Epacris hamiltonii was first formally described in 1900 by Joseph Maiden and Ernst Betche in the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, from specimens collected in 1900 near Blackheath in the Blue Mountains by Arthur Andrew Hamilton.[5][6]

Distribution and habitat

This epacris only grows in moist soil on or near cliffs of Narrabeen sandstone near perennial creeks that flow into the Grose Valley in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.[2][3][4][7]

Conservation status

Epacris hamiltonii is listed as "endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the New South Wales Government Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. The main threats to the species include inappropriate fire regimes, trampling by walkers, weed invasion, and changes in water flow and quality.[4][7]

References

  1. ↑ "Epacris hamiltonii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  2. 1 2 Powell, Jocelyn M. "Epacris hamiltonii". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 Wood, Betty. "Epacris hamiltonii". Lucid Keys. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "Conservation advice - Epacris hamiltonii" (PDF). Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  5. ↑ "Epacris hamiltonii". APNI. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  6. ↑ Maiden, Joseph; Betche, Ernst (1900). "Notes from the Botanic Gardens, Sydney. No. 6". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 25 (1): 102. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  7. 1 2 "Epacris hamiltonii - profile". New South Wales Government Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
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